A woman of Chinese descent was robbed of her gold bracelet by a man using a “bait and switch” technique near 10th Avenue and 53rd Street in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon. Witnesses at the scene reported that the suspect forcefully exchanged a fake gold bracelet for the real one the elderly woman was wearing, and then handed her a few dollars in cash before fleeing in a car.
Fortunately, a Jewish man wearing a community patrol uniform with the word “Shomrim” on it witnessed the incident and immediately called for backup to “block” the suspect. Eventually, near 6th Avenue and 53rd Street, they successfully intercepted the vehicle involved in the incident, controlled the suspect, and handed him over to the police.
It is understood that the patrol team in the Brooklyn Jewish community is often referred to as “Shomrim” (Hebrew for “guardians”) and is an active civilian volunteer security organization in Jewish residential areas. The organization maintains close cooperation with the New York City Police Department, assisting in maintaining community security, combating crime, and searching for missing persons. The patrol team provides 24-hour community surveillance services and often acts as a liaison bridge between the community and the police during emergencies.
Shomrim is a non-profit organization funded mainly by community donations and government subsidies. Its members are mostly local Jewish residents who drive marked patrol cars and use radio communication, allowing for quick responses within the community.
Local councilwoman Diane Chuang mentioned in a recent interview with Chinese media at the end of last month that her office is working on increasing patrol resources and collaborating with Jewish community security patrol organizations to explore extending patrol coverage to the Chinese community, while also advocating for the installation of surveillance camera systems.
Onlookers at the scene noted that in recent years, there have been incidents involving fake jewelry being used to steal real gold jewelry, with the majority of victims being elderly individuals. They reminded the public to remain vigilant when going out, avoid wearing overly conspicuous jewelry to prevent becoming targets of criminals. “This elderly lady was lucky, as the suspect was finally caught.”