Break in the Case

The 75th Precinct was a hotbed of crime in the early 90s. In this special episode, officers talk about what it was like to work in East New York back then. We also hear from a present-day Youth Coordination Officer who is trying to improve lives in East New York.

After the Zodiac's arraignment for three murders and one attempted murder in Queens, a Queens prosecutor must prepare to counter a psychiatric defense.

After an East New York man is arrested in the 75th Precinct for attempted murder, the evidence connects him to more sinister crimes.

One day in June, 1996, a 911 call leads to a shootout and a hostage situation. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert is called to his very first hostage job. And then, the unthinkable happens. True to the precinct motto, “Everything happens in the 75,” it all goes down in the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn.

In August, 1994, a new letter from the Zodiac lands on the front page of the New York Post. The Zodiac claims to have shot five more victims in 1992 and 1993, in the same geographic area as his first three shootings. A second Zodiac Task Force is formed. Detective Sergeant Joseph Herbert from the 75 Detective Squad focuses on the hard evidence: fingerprints, ballistics, and the Zodiac's letters.

At Zodiac Task Force headquarters in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, tips pour in from across the city. Even the psychics get in on the action. After one of the victims dies from his wounds in the hospital, the case becomes a homicide.

It's the summer of 1990, and crime in New York City is at an all-time high. Daily headlines bring fresh stories of random violence and stranger-on-stranger crime. Then, one day in June, someone calling himself “Zodiac” writes a disturbing letter to the New York Post. He claims to have killed three people in Brooklyn according to their astrological signs, and he promises to kill nine more. When the shootings check out, the NYPD forms a Zodiac Task Force. Retired Lieutenant Michael Ciravolo and retired New York Post reporter Anne Murray recount their involvement in the early days of the investigation.

Season 3 of Break in the Case goes behind the scenes of one of New York City's notorious cases from the 90s, The New York Zodiac Copycat. Look for new episodes every Tuesday beginning April 25, 2023.

Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, came to New York City from Germany in 2014 and quickly became a fixture in the downtown social scene. She claimed to be an heiress with a vast fortune. But she wasn't quite what she said she was. In August 2017, she was indicted on an array of financial and fraud-based crimes, including Attempted Grand Larceny. In this special episode, the NYPD detective who led the investigation into Sorokin explains her crimes. What did she do, and how did she do it?

Season 2 concludes with the second and last episode of the Queens Sniper story. In Part 2, a suspect is in custody, and the case is upgraded to a homicide. The real work begins for the detectives and the Queens prosecutor as they collect evidence and build a counter-narrative to a potential insanity defense.

The night of August 26, 2006, a driver went on a six-hour shooting spree that left one person dead, four injured, and a trail of shattered glass and bullet-scarred vehicles across Queens. He shot at pedestrians and cars, and showed a preference for the color red in his targets. The Queens detectives, bosses, and cops who were working that night tell the harrowing story.

In the early hours of December 11, 2012, Shalema Gaskin was on her way to visit her daughter at Brookdale Hospital in Brownsville, Brooklyn. It was four blocks away from her home, but she never made it there. She was found behind the hospital with a gunshot wound to the back of the neck. A couple of days later, Steven Evans was killed a mile away with the same gun. To this day, no tips have been called in for either case. Detectives are asking for the public's help to solve this case.

In 2003, the Emergency Service Unit met their match when they discovered a 250-pound Bengal tiger in a man's Harlem apartment. This is the story of Ming the Harlem Tiger, and the officers who responded.

It's a race against the clock as detectives in the 6th Precinct investigate a series of assault and robbery cases with elderly victims. Here's how they collared the man that was behind the crime spree.

The dark web is but a fraction of the internet. But illegal activity there is now increasing coming to light. Threatening savings. Damaging peace of mind.  In this episode, we'll meet the detective who fights crime on the dark side, and find out how he went from online to real life to nab a credit card fraudster. 

Just before midnight, on September 11, 2001, a man was gunned down on a street in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. His name was Henryk Siwiak. Despite the best efforts of a police department spread thin by a large-scale terrorist attack, the killer was never apprehended, and the case remains open to this day. 

Welcome back to Season 2 of Break in the Case! Listen as we follow the world's greatest detectives to crime scenes—some which you may know, some which you certainly don't. Episodes begin on September 9th and appear every other Thursday.

Introducing Opt In NYC, a new podcast produced by young New Yorkers in conjunction with the New York City Police Department and Police Foundation. The podcast explores contemporary issues and stories about New York City neighborhoods. New York City teens sit down with NYPD cops to share perspectives and educate one another. For more information, visit options.nyc. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @Options.nyc.

Here’s a quick update from the team at Break In The Case. We were heartened to see the overwhelmingly positive reaction to our first season, and we’re looking forward to bringing you season two. Unfortunately at this time, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the production team has been forced to take a hiatus.  Don’t worry, we'll be back with more stories this fall.  Meanwhile, follow the NYPD on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and visit the Break in the Case website for more updates and information. Break in the Case Facebook Instagram Twitter

Police find the severed body parts of a woman in South Brooklyn, and are struggling to identify her to this day.

After hours of interrogation, the truth about what happened to Baby Hope is revealed.

For 22 years, detectives searched for the true name of the little girl they called "Baby Hope." Once they found it, it was eight days before they were face to face with her killer.

For two decades, detectives struggled with the Baby Hope case. One day, a tip was called in that changed everything.

Two years into the investigation, detectives are no closer to knowing Baby Hope's real name.

A gruesome discovery by a road crew in Washington Heights sends the 34th Precinct Detective Squad on a hunt for a little girl's identity.

Welcome to Season One of Break in the Case: True Stories by NYPD Detectives. Starting October 29, 2019.