Seen & Heard: Suspicious Man Spotted in Local Parks

••• An email is making its way around the parents in the area….

Parent #1: I arrived with my daughter [at Washington Market Park] around 430pm and upon entering noticed a man lurking outside of the gate observing all of the children playing on the play areas (he was on the other side of the fence directly outside of the younger children’s play area on north end of park). He had his cell phone up and was taking pictures. He was alone and absolutely not in presence of a child. I noticed him immediately but was too nervous to approach him directly as I was with my daughter but he caught sight of me staring at him and I did not take my eyes off of him until 5 or so minutes later when he left the park (and I watched closely that he had left). I hope that I had made him uncomfortable enough that he will not return but who knows. Description is below—please keep your eyes out. I put a call in to 311 but they said this requires a police report so in meantime wanted to spread the word that this guy was not welcome or doing anything he should be. He was also in total plain sight. 40s ish, not old or young looking. Scruffy. Was wearing a hooded rain jacket. Tall. Light dark skin—perhaps of Indian descent?

Parent #2: Your description sounds like that of a man I’ve seen around Battery Park when the weather was good a week ago. He was walking south along the water side, with a large odd smile on his face and seemingly continuously taking a video. I was also trying the “making him uncomfortable” approach but it seemed he didn’t feel affected in any way! In fact he was at some point passing us by and he even turned and caught me on video and I think he pointed his phone to capture my son in his stroller too. If I see him again I’ll do something about it!! Despite the good weather, he was wearing long black sport pants and a hooded rain jacket in red/purplish colors. The jacket had a visor. He was wearing black sneakers. I didn’t see his face well, but it seemed he had rather full lips and a bit tan skin. Sounds like the same guy? I was mostly on alarm because of his weird smile and his video taping of the entire surroundings without a clear object.

••• A. sent over this pic of 385 Broadway, which appears to have found a tenant.

385 Broadway by A••• Coming up at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center: “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School,” on Sunday, May 22: “With a jillion tips, tricks and trip-ups, Junie B. shares her hard-won expertise and shows us all how school is sometimes scary, sometimes super-fun, and always something to sing about!” Tickets.

••• From Notify NYC: “To provide aerial TV coverage of the America’s Cup sailing event, helicopter flyovers will be conducted from May 5 through May 8 over the Hudson River in lower Manhattan.” So what’s new? “Aerial work will be conducted throughout the day for this event.”

••• D. sent a pic of workers at 200 Chambers “using these massive (and very heavy) sand bags in a test to prevent Sandy-style flooding.”

flood test at 200 Chambers••• Juliana Margulies will be at Barnes & Noble Tribeca on May 17 to promote her children’s book.

 

4 Comments

  1. We literally have a new camp of homeless in West Broadway between Chambers and Reade.

    One has made permanent camp next to Bikini Bar (on Duane) and another permanent one is right next to Lance Lapin, West Broadway between Duane and Reade.

    That brings them to the neighborhood on a more permanent basis.

    • Please everyone take 5 minutes to call 311 to report any homeless encampment in the area. You can do it anonymously. Encampment is the key word to use, police will take action with more reports against it.

  2. Just to be clear, the police will not do anything about homeless people sleeping on the street UNLESS they have fashioned some sort of structure that could be defined as an encampment. I spoke to an officer and apparently the homeless have the right to sleep on the sidewalks. There is a person on the SE corner of Reade and W Broadway who does have an elaborate cardboard box structures and if reported to the police (via 311) should be removed.

    For the rest of the homeless, feel free to call 311 but the best we can do for the multitude of street sleepers is get connected to DOHS (dept of homeless services) and they will send over an outreach crew. However, many homeless, like the woman at the southern tip of the Bogardus Plaza, refuse help.

  3. Did either woman take a picture of the questionable man?

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