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QUEENS WEEKLY, APRIL 28, 2019
Deli
Continued from Page 1
sources said, an unknown
man entered a deli near
Queens Boulevard and
76th Road in the confines
of the 112th Precinct.
Once inside, he allegedly
went behind the store
counter, grabbed the 39-yearold
male employee on duty
and demanded money from
the register.
According to authorities,
the suspect opened the
register and fled on foot
with about $170. Cops said
that the employee did
not sustain injuries and
refused medical attention at
the scene.
Cops described the
bandit as a white or
Hispanic man around 25
to 35 years old. He was last
seen wearing a baseball cap
and all dark clothing.
NYPD video surveillance
shows the suspect fleeing
the scene and removing a
dark colored jacket.
Call Crime Stoppers
at 800-577-TIPS with
information about
the case.
Vendors
“We filed this case
because we heard about
this situation and we
had always heard about
enforcement actions
being taken throughout
the city where vendors
had carts they had made
themselves taken by the
police or the DOHMH
and then thrown in
the garbage,” Shapiro
said. “We don’t think
the city should ever do
such harsh enforcement
action against vendors;
they should be respecting
them as small businesses.
Sometimes they do seize
people’s property when
there are violations,
but there’s supposed to
be a real legal process
that happens.”
Shapiro said the city
defended this action by
calling the property
“makeshift” with no real
value, although the value
to the vendors may have
been substantial.
Kazi Fouzia is an
organizer with Desis
Rising Up and Moving
who took a lead role in the
class action lawsuit and
said she was once a street
vendor and understands
how city policies leave
street vendors in a nowin
situation.
DRUM and the Street
Vendors Project called
on the city to make
policy changes that will
help people capitalize on
their ability to sell goods
on the street rather than
getting reprimanded
after the fact.
The city often issues
citations to vendors
working without a permit
of up to $1,000 while a cap
was put on new permits
back in the 1980s.
In order to obtain
a permit, people are
often forced to buy
out vendors who have
had theirs for decades
for up to $20,000,
Buestan said.
Reach reporter Mark
Hallum by e-mail at
mhallum@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4564.
Continued from Page 1
Sanwar Ahmed, a Bangladeshi street vendor in Jackson Heights said he was left with no means to make his “bread and butter”
after the city confiscated and disposed of his jhal muri cart. Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
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