14
QUEENS WEEKLY, JULY 21, 2019
Mailbox
of an inch to make mailbox
fishing more difficult.
“Year after year,
numerous Americans,
including New Yorkers
– many of whom are
seniors — fall victim to
criminals who steal their
personal information
through mail fishing,”
said Meng. “This has
resulted in identity theft
and funds being stolen
from victims’ bank
accounts. Last year, the
Postal Service agreed
to retrofit all blue mail
collection boxes in my
home borough of Queens,
New York, after I urged
the agency to do so. Now,
they should look at doing
the same throughout the
country. We can no longer
ignore this problem. The
Postmaster General must
conduct a study to retrofit
all collection boxes.”
According to Meng’s
office, there were over 3,000
mailbox fishing incidents
in New York City last year
alone. The crime of fishing
occurs when an individual
place string connected
to a sticky material into
the opening of collection
boxes. Once the substance
adheres to a piece of mail,
the person “fishes” it out.
Using these tactics,
criminals have been able
to steal people’s personal
information including
bank and credit cards and
Social Security numbers,
which has resulted
in identity theft and
bank fraud.
Last year, the USPS
began replacing and
retrofitting mailboxes in
northeast Queens, where
there were 124 incidents
in 2018. In January 2019,
USPS said they retrofitted
mailboxes in Little Neck
and Oakland Gardens and
had plans to do the same
for all collection boxes in
the borough.
Narrower mail slots
have caused fishers to
target areas that do not
utilize the security feature.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at (718)
260-2563.
Continued from Page 1
Giardino’s
and general manager
respectively.
The Howard Beach
restaurant, which
opened in 2009, suffered
millions of dollars
in damages after
Hurricane Sandy but
successfully reopened
in 2013.
QNS reached out to
Vetros to ask Russo
the reasoning behind
Giardino’s closure and
is currently awaiting
a response.
In addition to
Vetros, Russo also
owns the eponymous
Russo’s on the Bay, a
popular events venue in
Howard Beach.
According to a bio on
Vetros’ website, Russo
got his start in the food
industry working with
his father and uncle
at Villa Russo and Il
Palazzo Catering Hall.
“I always remember
my father as a very
hardworking, humble,
family-oriented man,
always taking care of his
customers, making sure
that the restaurant was
a home for them. From
my parents I learned to
respect others as you
want to be respected,
and always remember
that your work is your
most important thing,”
said Russo.
In 1987, Russo opened
Russo’s on the Bay
followed by Giardino
in 1992.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at
jbagcal@qns.com or by
phone at (718) 260-2583.
Continued from Page 1
Giardino’s in Douglaston closed on June 30 Photo via Google Maps
/qns.com
link
