Brooklyn, NY – A Borough Park resident who made allegedly suggestive comments to three young boys was arrested Thursday night and charged with three counts of acting in a manner injurious to a child.
Police said that 59 year old Menachem Tyk of 1415 47th Street reportedly left notes in the tefillin bags of two boys while they were davening at Congregation Aron V’Yisroel Stolin on 16th Avenue over the past two weeks, and made direct comments to a third.
In the first incident, which took place on March 19th, Tyk allegedly left a note for a 15 year old boy, that read “Please call me.
It’s very important.”
The note also included Tyk’s phone number.
When the teen called the phone number a voice said, “I like the way you daven. Meet me at my house.”
A 13 year old boy told police that the note that he received on March 24th had Tyk’s phone number and the words “Call me. It’s important.” When the boy placed the call the person who answered asked him if he “touched himself” and then hung up.
And a 14 year old boy reported that Tyk approached him three times while at the synagogue on March 26th and invited him back to his home.
Tyk reportedly told the boy he would remove his clothing and “pet him everywhere.”
Tyk, a known figure at the Bobov and Emunas Yisroel synagogues in Borough Park, was arrested and arraigned on Thursday night.
He has two prior arrests: one in 1986 for patronizing a prostitute and a second in 1988 for assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Tyk lives alone and at least one neighbor seemed surprised by his arrest.
“I would never believe he was a child molester,” said Zissy Twersky. “He talks to all the boys in the building, but nothing more than a friendly hello.”
