NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A pair of robberies that happened Monday in Niagara Falls has city leaders, business owners, and neighbors calling for help in solving Niagara Falls mounting crime concerns.
According to police, on Monday afternoon a suspect robbed DiCamillo's Bakery on Pine Avenue, punching an elderly woman in the head before getting away with cash.
Police say her injuries are not serious.
Another robbery happened shortly after on Pine, both in broad daylight, which led Councilmember Bill Kennedy on Tuesday to announce his plans for a "Safety Summit" that will involve city, county, state, and possibly federal leaders to help him figure out the best way to curb this problem.
"The only statistic I'm concerned with is crime per capita. For the past two years, we've been number one in a category I want to forget about, by we cannot just turn a blind eye to this anymore. How can we possibly grow, and how can we spur economic development and create jobs throughout the city if residents and business owners fear for their safety daily?"
Kennedy also says he thinks the police are doing the best they can with what they have but says he thinks funding for increased police presence in the street would help.
Kennedy admits finding money is definitely an obstacle, but he doesn't plan on using taxes to help fund new research or additional support for police. The council member admitting today he's asking for help that he doesn't have all the answers.
Some of the specifics of Kennedy's "Safety Summit" or his plans to raise money, he says for now he's in the planning stages and would go so far as to invite Governor Cuomo himself to Niagara Falls to offer help and support.
