Linda Sadacka
It started with the jewelry.
Not one woman, not one block, and not one isolated incident. A pattern emerged. Women in our community suddenly realized that a bracelet they never removed was gone. A necklace that should have rested on a collarbone simply was no longer there. A ring that could not have fallen off was missing without explanation.
Then came the coats.
These coats were not misplaced in coatrooms nor mixed up at simchas. They were taken. Targeted luxury coats were grabbed off people or snatched the moment someone looked away. In case after case, scooters pulled up, hands reached out, and the criminals sped off long before the victims fully understood what had happened.
All of this intensified in the days and weeks after Mamdani’s victory. The city absorbed a new political message. In our neighborhoods many felt something shift in real time. There was more disorder, more brazenness, and a growing awareness that the sense of security we once took for granted was becoming compromised.
The crimes themselves are troubling, yet beneath them lies a deeper and far more damaging problem.
We are not reporting what is happening. Every time we fail to file a report, we weaken ourselves.
The Quiet Mistake That Weakens an Entire Community
Over the past year, I have watched the same pattern unfold many times. Someone calls me in a panic. A theft. An attempted robbery. A frightening encounter. I calm them, listen, and connect them to Flatbush Shomrim. I also connect them to NYPD, because for me there is no such thing as Shomrim without a police report.
And then, when we reach the moment that the incident must become official, the person simply stops responding.
The explanations come quickly. I do not want my name on anything. I do not want a headache. Shomrim already handled it. I just want to forget it ever happened.
I am not exaggerating when I say this has happened dozens of times in only one year.
People believe they are avoiding complications. In reality they are silencing data, and in New York City data determines everything. If crime is not reported, City Hall counts our neighborhoods as low crime areas. Low crime areas lose police officers. Fewer officers lead to slower response times, and slower responses embolden criminals. Emboldened criminals create more victims, especially among the vulnerable and the elderly.
This is not speculation. It is exactly what I heard from two men who live this reality every night and every early morning.
To move beyond forwarded WhatsApp clips, rumors, and dramatic warnings, I sat down with two experts, Toby Shacalo, a coordinator at Flatbush Shomrim who oversees crime prevention and sees patterns develop in real time, and Bob Moskovitz, the Executive Coordinator of the Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol, who has served for 34 years and helped build the infrastructure that protects thousands of families.
What they told me should serve as a wake-up call for every household in Flatbush.
What Crime in Flatbush Looks Like Now
When I asked Toby what had changed since the Mamdani victory he did not hesitate.
We are seeing a lot of crime. It is out of control. The police are still out there targeting, but it is unclear how long they can keep up.
He explained that approximately five thousand NYPD officers are planning to retire from a department that has only about thirty-three thousand members. Having fewer officers creates slower responses, and slow responses create opportunity. In October alone, Flatbush Shomrim handled eight hundred seventy-eight calls, and that was with half the month occupied by yom tov.
Three patterns emerged clearly in our conversation.
Jewelry Theft Through Distraction
Toby described what Shomrim calls the jewelry distraction scam. These are individuals, sometimes men and sometimes women, who approach politely. They ask for directions, claim it is a birthday, offer a small trinket, or simply begin talking. While the victim is distracted, they remove jewelry with astonishing speed.
Some victims believed they had been drugged because they felt nothing. When I asked Bob about this, he was very clear. There are no drugs involved. These thieves are extremely skilled at distraction and they work with precision.
Then Bob added something many of us need to hear.
They come here because of us. We wear visible valuables. We are busy. We are often on our phones. We appear to be good targets with merchandise worth taking.
He was not blaming our community. He was describing how our visibility and our habits create an opportunity for offenders who study behavior.
South American Scooter Crews and High-End Coat Thefts
The second issue involves high-end coat thefts. Toby explained that small South American crews are operating in a pattern familiar to their home countries. They pull up on scooters, grab what they want, and disappear. This happens during the day in front of witnesses. These jackets often have traceable serial numbers and Toby encourages residents to keep that information accessible.
None of these thefts enter crime statistics unless a report is filed.
The Revolving Door of Repeat Offenders
When I asked Bob whether crime has gotten worse since the early years of Shomrim his answer was immediate. Definitely. It is now an everyday issue. He described what he calls regular customers. These are recidivists who commit crimes, get arrested, are released quickly, and return to the same neighborhoods. Shomrim members recognize them by face and often by name.
This revolving door affects everything. Without consistent reporting, policymakers conclude that the problem is small. Without accurate numbers, precincts lose resources. Without resources, the burden increases on Shomrim volunteers, who already respond around the clock.
The Truth Behind So-Called Car Break Ins
Both Toby and Bob emphasized a point that many people prefer not to confront. Most car incidents in our area are not break-ins. Criminals are not smashing windows. They are opening unlocked doors.
Toby described a single night in which Shomrim checked four blocks and found eighty-seven unlocked cars. High end vehicles often had their keys inside. Criminals simply walk down the block checking handles. If everything is locked, they move to another neighborhood. It is basic deterrence.
We like to say they broke into my car. In many cases the truth is that we left our cars open.
The Other Threat: Unverified WhatsApp Messages
In 2026, fear often travels faster than facts. A forwarded warning, a dramatic voice note, a screenshot with no source, and panic spreads within minutes.
When I asked Bob about this he spoke plainly. Forwarding WhatsApp posts without confirming only causes unnecessary panic in the community.
If the message does not have a clear and reliable source, do not forward it. Call Shomrim or call the police. Let the people who understand the full picture evaluate the situation.
Inside the Shomrim System: Cameras, Coordination, and Rapid Response
Many residents do not realize how advanced Shomrim’s infrastructure has become. Toby explained that they operate approximately one hundred twenty cameras and license plate readers, with an additional two hundred planned. These are monitored around the clock.
Bob described how License Plate Readers work. If a repeat offender is connected to a specific vehicle, Shomrim enters that plate into an alert system. The moment that vehicle passes any Shomrim camera, members receive an immediate notification. This dramatically speeds up identification and enables NYPD to make arrests far more efficiently.
Shomrim coordinates regularly with Borough Park Shomrim, who have an extensive camera network as well. Together they create a protective grid that spans multiple Jewish neighborhoods.
Sometimes detectives call Shomrim for footage. At other times Shomrim reaches out to NYPD when they cannot locate a stolen car. NYPD cameras on bridges and major highways frequently identify vehicles en route to Newark, where many are loaded into shipping containers bound for foreign ports.
None of this is visible to the average resident, yet the system protects thousands of homes.
Volunteers and the Families Who Stand Behind Them
Shomrim is not a dramatic Hollywood-style organization. Their volunteers are not chasing offenders through alleys or wrestling people to the ground unless absolutely necessary. Bob said his primary responsibility is ensuring that every member returns home to his family safely.
He recalled visiting Borough Park Shomrim members in the hospital after they had been shot by a suspect over a decade ago. That night changed policy. Physical engagement is avoided unless there is no alternative. Members observe, follow discreetly, document, call NYPD, and intervene physically only when life is in danger.
Shomrim volunteers are trained in how to follow a suspect without being detected. In the overwhelming majority of cases the suspect can be apprehended without confrontation. NYPD handles the physical arrest. Shomrim’s role includes intelligence, positioning, and immediate presence.
Bob oversees approximately seventy-five active members and accepted six new volunteers this week. He emphasized that the Shomrim organization is extremely selective. They do background checks and they avoid accepting individuals with a history of dishonesty or violence. Toby explained why this matters. You cannot send someone with a domestic abuse history into a domestic dispute. You cannot send someone with questionable financial history into a stranger’s home. Community trust is non-negotiable.
Behind each volunteer is a family that sacrifices. Wives who watch husbands run out at two in the morning. Children who do not know what situation their father is entering. This is real mesirut nefesh. It is quiet and unpublicized. It is essential.
Each volunteer costs approximately five thousand dollars to equip. This includes radios, uniforms, body cameras, and specialized tools, including lockout kits. These kits are used most often for emergencies involving children locked in bathrooms or cars, or homes where stoves are left on while the residents cannot get inside.
None of this is funded by the city. It is sustained entirely by the community.
The Spiritual Iron Dome and Our Responsibility
When I asked Bob about his greatest fear, he did not mention jewelry thefts or coat scams. He went straight to the most sobering possibility. A major terror attack in New York City. He explained that the only reason this has not occurred is due to the grace of Gd. There is no iron-clad dome over Brooklyn. There is no impenetrable barrier around our neighborhoods.
Torah, tefillah, mitzvot, and hesed are our spiritual protection. They are powerful. Yet Judaism also commands hishtadlut, responsible effort. We must lock our cars. We must stay aware. We must file reports. We must support those who protect us.
Bob said that his greatest hope is that the community continues to understand Shomrim’s mission, supports their work, and maintains a strong partnership with the police department. Effective patrols require both community support and police cooperation. Without both pillars the system cannot function.
We do not yet know how the Mamdani administration will reshape policing and response times. Both Toby and Bob believe Jewish communities must assume more responsibility for their own security during this chapter. That does not mean living in fear. It means strengthening awareness, cooperation, and preparedness.
We have dedicated men who serve quietly and courageously along with the spouses and children who wait for them to return home safely.
The question now is whether we will do our part.
To learn more about Flatbush Shomrim, see real cases, or support their work, visit FlatbushShomrim.org.
What Flatbush Must Do Now
Based on the guidance of both Toby and Bob, here is what every resident must commit to:
- File a police report for every crime, even small ones.
- Lock your car and home every time you leave.
- Avoid wearing expensive jewelry in public during uncertain times.
- Guard your belongings at simchas.
- Stay alert and avoid walking distracted with your phone.
- Call Shomrim if someone appears suspicious or does not belong on your block.
- Do not forward unverified social media messages.
