By COLlive reporter
A brave Chassidic Jew who was once the fear of Crown Heights criminal activity was a victim Thursday of an attempted mugging.
Rabbi Israel Shemtov, “the red devil” who was arrested several times in the past during neighborhood confrontations, was held up by a minor demanding his money.
Stepping out of his green Cadillac this morning on Montgomery Street and New York Avenue, a 12 or 13 year-old black youth approached him with his hand in his pocket as though he had a handgun.
Shemtov told COLlive.com he quickly shouted “Officer!” as though a policeman was standing nearby, so the mugger fled.
After calling 911, the 71 year-old red-haired Shemtov got back in his car and began to drive around looking for the perp.
When he came back around the block, he noticed the youngster was back at the same corner and saw a police car coming up the block.
“I flagged down the cops, yet they apparently had not taken the 911 call seriously, as they had no information about it,” said Shemtov, a pioneer of the Jewish volunteer patrols.
“When I pointed out the mugger to them, they said they could not chase him as he was running in the opposite direction of traffic.”
The police also said the complaint was merely a “harassment” complaint, since the perp did not succeed in actually mugging the victim.
“This is the first time I was mugged,” Shemtov added. “It doesn’t matter who mugged you – a kid or an adult- it was very frightening and should not happen to anybody.”
Shemtov, owner of a custom-made Kapota clothier on Kingston Avenue, received widespread attention in 1993 when he rushed to the aid of a black woman who had been shot on the street in Crown Heights, putting her in his car and taking her to the hospital.
But he has also often been seen by black residents as an overzealous defender of his turf, as the New York Times reported in 1996. He was convicted for “obstructing government administration” after an altercation with the police in 1983.
Many credit him for helping securing the neighborhood which comprises of West Indian and African American and Chassidic Jewish residents. Shemtov is friendly with New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
the fact that the mugger was UNSUCCESSFUL does not mean it was not a crime, since criminal intent is so often the basis of how the courts view a crime. A mugger who BUNGLED the JOB is not the same as a NON MUGGER. Shame on the Police! and more power from G-d to this wonderful man!
GO ZAIDY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from riverdale
Those Shmira patrol cars I see out every night gave been doing so ever since reb Yisroel started crown heights Shmira!
Reb Yisroel Shemtov is a precious Jew who does thousands of mitzvos for “nobodies” in a quiet way with zero fanfare – things nobody knows about and nobody will ever know about. He is fearless – only fears Hashem – that’s where his hatzlacha comes from. May G-d give him and his family good health, nachas, parnassah, and hatzlachah in all their good efforts. If we all had a tenth of Yisroel Shemtov’s ahavas yisroel Moshiach owuld be here already for sure. I’m close to 50 but i still remember when i was a young girl alone in crown hts… Read more »
Who remembers when he talked someone from jumping off of the Brooklyn Bridge! And he maintained a friendship with him & found him a job.
we were living on montgomery and called yisroel our brothinlaw, one nite and he was there in a minute, bh it was a mouse he caught, not a burglar, to his dissapointment. remember, you know who……………..
…he is always on the lookout for the loose heavy flower pots on the stoops of crown heights. Ch”v should they fall on someone.
THATS THE BENCHEH SHEMTOV BLOOD RIGHT THERE!
lol lol so funny
Great dugma, continue your work using your talents to help the community
go shver!!!!!
hi zeiskeit!!!!
he’s always around at events…
I do not understand the Police in not going after this kid, bringing him to his parents, and getting him to appear in juvenile court with warnings, as this kid, with getting away with this crime, can get into bigger criminal acts. Police are here to protect.
Always smiling, always ready to do a favor, a “Shtik “Shver”.
A fan from CT!
Go Marlboro Man
love the name!
he demanded his money- lets c how u wud react!
he was defending 4 the security of ch!
pepole normaly give praise after death he was a kind man an nice man
but i will tell you wile he is alive and should be well till 120 that ive never ever in my life see a person that will go so far out of his way to help another person weather its with money. or shleping a bag tpo sholom bais issues or a community isue or a neighbor thats fighting he is always there to help g-d bless reb yisroel keep up the good work
fans of yisroel shemtov
Was the Pioneer of the patrol
someone approaching you with their hand in their pocket isnt exactly mugging
what are u gonna do about it?
If he’s buddy-buddy with Yisroel, let him do something now about Simonetti’s policy of looking the other way when Jews are attacked.
These crimes by youth ARE ignored or even used against the victim at times and this has resulted in much bigger crimes a few years down the line.
this man is something else, helping others in need even when it can bring upon him self harm a true chasid may he only have all the good he needs. simchas and gezont amen!
we will not allow crimes to be ignored in our neighborhood