Around Brooklyn: Cops seek man who desecrated synagogues

January 4, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

This row of landmarked Midwood Park homes includes 664 East 18th St. (at right), which was designed by architect Benjamin Driesler and constructed around 1904. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

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Cops seek man who desecrated synagogues

A vandal desecrated four Midwood synagogues with derogatory graffiti the day after Christmas. The synagogues are Kahal Darkei Noam on Avenue J, Young Israel Senior Services on Ocean Avenue, Khal Toras Chaim D’Flatbush on Avenue L and Knesses Bais Avigdor on Avenue J. At the last location, the man also broke into the synagogue, broke two cabinets and stole $20. A photo released by police shows a tall, thin white man with a beard and moustache wearing a blue hoodie possibly made out of denim, according to the New York Post.

Popular Mega Bites diner closes

A well-known DeKalb Avenue diner, Mega Bites diner on Vanderbilt Avenue, announced on Christmas Eve that it would be closing indefinitely. The restaurant wrote on its Facebook page, “We hoped this next COVID 19 relief bill would have provided some MEANINGFUL NON LOAN assistance for restaurants and other small businesses but unfortunately it does not. We’ve also hoped that our landlord would have accepted a significant reduction in rent but he has not.” According to a recent survey, 88 percent of the city’s restaurants couldn’t pay their full rent in October, according to Patch.

Adams urges Brooklynites to apply for community boards

Brooklyn Borough President Adams encourages all Brooklynites to apply for an opening on one of Brooklyn’s 18 local community boards, announcing that the deadline for the upcoming cycle is Friday, February 12. “This year has been extremely challenging for our borough and city, but our community boards were able to adapt and continue serving their neighborhoods,” said Adams. “I am grateful for the hundreds of Brooklynites who stay engaged on this most local level of our government. Now more than ever, we want to urge all Brooklynites, who are able, to apply for their community boards and get involved to help our borough recover from the devastation of COVID-19.”

Brooklyn woman charged with theft from fire alarm company

A Brooklyn woman is accused of stealing $1.1 million from the Secaucus, N.J.-based fire alarm company where she worked for eight years. Sophia Diakomihalis, 35, was arrested Monday at her home in Brooklyn following a months-long investigation into the alleged theft at Firetronics in Secaucus, Police Chief Dennis Miller said. Diakomihalis was charged with three counts of second degree theft and one count of criminal attempt. In August, a representative of the company told police that large sums of money had been electronically withdrawn from an account. Police subsequently learned that $1.1 was stolen from the account and identified Diakomihalis as the person responsible, Miller said. Diakomihalis worked as an office manager for the company, according to NJ.com. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office aided in the investigation.

Greenpoint squirrel eats pizza in a tree

A squirrel was caught eating slice of pizza in a tree at a Greenpoint park on Christmas day. Footage posted on Instagram shows the squirrel eating the pizza. “Merry Christmas, squirrel,” one onlooker said. “This squirrel’s gonna live for more than 16 years.” Residents in Queens have reported an aggressive squirrel or squirrels in their neighborhood that has attacked several neighbors, but it’s doubtful that this is the same one, according to ABC News.

CubeSmart inks real estate deal in Brooklyn

Self-storage company CubeSmart purchased two buildings in Brooklyn and Queens for a combined $125 million and secured a new ground lease valued at $50 million, according to property records filed Thursday. The self-storage sector has proven to be among the most resilient to the pandemic, since economic problems tend to bolster demand for storage space. CubeSmart paid $77 million to acquire one of the buildings, a 79,000-square-foot storage facility in Gowanus, according to The Real Deal.

Cop opens fire on driver who hit another cop

An NYPD officer opened fire on a driver who struck another cop with his car during a traffic stop in Brownsville on Wednesday night, police said. The driver of a black Acura MDX with New Jersey license plates reversed into one of the officers during the stop on Eastern Parkway and Saratoga Avenue about 10:40 p.m., police said. After the original collision, the other officer fired one round at the driver, who sped away. Nobody was struck by the gunfire, according to the New York Post. The officer who was struck was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition, police said.

Exhibit about gay seniors at Brooklyn Heights adult home

A new portrait exhibit at the Watermark adult community on Clark Street in Brooklyn Heights, “Not Another Second,” focuses on the stories, contributions and challenges facing gay seniors. The portraits feature people as different as military veterans, a former politicians, a Stonewall survivor and a former Black Panther. The campaign is a collaborative effort between Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders, or SAGE, and the Watermark retirement community, according to published reports. Mark Adams, CEO of SAGE, said, Over the span of decades, LGBTQ elders have proven what it means to be resilient and live vibrant and full lives, even in the face of discrimination. Too often, the achievements of LGBTQ pioneers are pushed aside or hidden back in the closet as they get older.”

Man arrested for fatal beating of senior

A 28-year-old man is under arrest for the fatal beating of a senior citizen in Boerum Hill. James Woods was charged with assault Wednesday with assault, and additional charges are pending. He allegedly punched 79-year-old Angel Diaz repeatedly, even though he was down on the ground, on Sept. 13, leading to his death more than a month afterward. The incident took place at 46 Hoyt St. EMS crews took Diaz to New York-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was treated for a broken nose, an orbital fracture and bleeding on the brain.

Cornegy gives out winter gear

City Council Member Robert Cornegy (D-Bedford Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) recently partnered with the Campaign Against Hunger and LiUNA-NY to distribute food and cold weather gear including hats, gloves, and scarves. Cornegy’s efforts are in support of community residents facing the dual challenges of COVID-19 and the economic crisis. This event took place on Dec. 30 at 162 Troy Ave.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.