SI Ferry companies stricken by a scarcity of safety

All aboard the Staten Island Scary.

Ferry terminal companies on either side of the route linking Decrease Manhattan and Staten Island are stricken by a scarcity of safety, with shoplifters and the homeless focusing on their shops and staff, a brand new lawsuit costs.

“Simply final night time, they seize so lots of our (lottery) tickets and left,” mentioned Niel Contractor, supervisor of the WaterEdge Cafe, as a shirtless homeless man in a winter coat walked Friday by means of the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island.

“It’s daily,” mentioned Contractor, who recounted common beer ripoffs, an April assault on an worker and break-ins on the locked ice cream circumstances. “It’s loopy.”

The 23-page courtroom Thursday submitting additionally charged the New York Metropolis Financial Improvement Corp. was refusing to regulate rents for the 9 plaintiff companies and threatening evictions following a decline in post-pandemic ridership.

“Defendant has failed, and continues to fail, to rent ample safety and personnel,” mentioned the Manhattan Supreme Court docket swimsuit. “Defendant has permitted, and continues to allow, vagrants to intervene with plaintiffs … thieves and shoplifters (to) harass and rob staff.”

As well as, unauthorized hawkers and different people are allowed to illegally peddle competing items and solicit enterprise from ferry riders, the lawsuit charged.

“Typically we have now individuals stealing, they’re homeless or junkies,” mentioned employee Jesus Perez of Liberty Information and Presents within the Whitehall Ferry Terminal on the tip of Manhattan.

“It’s growing loads,” mentioned Perez, including the state of affairs worsened in recent times. “After the pandemic, it was loopy.”

Six of the plaintiffs function within the terminal on Staten Island, with the opposite three primarily based in Manhattan.

The companies run the gamut from eating places to a newsstand to a pretzel operation, with one lease relationship again to January 2006 and a second to November 2008.

A spokesman for the NYC Legislation Division mentioned the town would evaluation the case as soon as served with the paperwork.

The courtroom submitting sought an injunction towards the town “compelling defendant to correctly safe and preserve the premises” whereas calling for financial damages — together with the authorized prices and lawyer’s charges within the case.

Roland Rexha, Secretary/Treasurer of the Marine Engineers’ Useful Affiliation that represents ferry crew members, echoed the decision for improved circumstances.

“It’s time to throw Staten Islanders and everybody who works and rides on the Staten Island Ferry and within the terminal a life raft from unsafe and threatening circumstances,” mentioned Rexha.

Contractor mentioned the worker attacked final month was working an evening shift by himself when focused.

“He fell to the bottom,” mentioned Contractor. “He bought punched within the head. He was out sick for every week … By the point this man calls (police) … they’re gone. They end all the things, they left.”