Break in the Case
In Season 3 of Break in the Case, we take you behind the scenes of one of NYPD’s most notorious cases from the 1990s, the New York Zodiac Copycat. From 1990 to 1996, a serial killer evades capture while sending taunting notes to the media and the police. For six years, detectives from the Zodiac Task Force follow every lead to the ground. And then, one day, a series of events brings them face to face with the Zodiac. Break in the Case is written and produced by the New York City Police Department and sponsored by the New York City Police Fou...
Episodes
Who Killed Henryk? The Unsolved Homicide of 9/11
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 …
New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York, Then and Now
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 …
New York Zodiac Copycat: The Trial
After the Zodiac’s arraignment for three murders and one attempted murder in Queens, a Queens prosecutor must prepare to counter a psychiatric defense.
New York Zodiac Copycat: Only Orion Can Stop the Zodiac
After an East New York man is arrested in the 75th Precinct for attempted murder, the evidence connects him to more sinister crimes.
New York Zodiac Copycat: East New York Chaos
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 …
New York Zodiac Copycat: Return of the Zodiac
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 Fo…
New York Zodiac Copycat: We Need to Put This Fire Out
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.
New York Zodiac Copycat: Kid, You've Got the Case
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 l…
Introducing Season 3: The New York Zodiac Copycat
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.
The Real Crimes of the Fake German Heiress
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 …
Queens Sniper Part 2
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 ev…
Queens Sniper (Part 1)
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 prefer…
Two Homicides, One Gun, and a Pink Bag
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 hospit…
Ming the Harlem Tiger
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.
The Man in the Baseball Hat
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.
Dark Web Undercover
The dark web comprises a fraction of the internet. But illegal activity there is increasing. Threatening savings. Damaging peace of mind. In this episode, we’ll meet a detective who fights crime on the dark side, and find out how he moved …
Coming Soon: Season 2
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
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 Y…
Special Update: Season Two.
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-…
Who is Monique?
Police find the severed body parts of a woman in South Brooklyn, and struggle to identify her. UPDATE: In 2022, the NYPD used familial DNA to identify the victim as Jennifer McAllister, from Gravesend, Brooklyn.
Baby Hope: In the Box
After hours of interrogation, the truth about what happened to Baby Hope is revealed.
Baby Hope: The Girl in the White Dress
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.
Baby Hope: A Colder Case
For two decades, detectives struggled with the Baby Hope case. One day, a tip was called in that changed everything.
Baby Hope: We Are Them
Two years into the investigation, detectives are no closer to knowing Baby Hope's real name.
Baby Hope: Into the Woods
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.
Season One Trailer
Welcome to Season One of Break in the Case: True Stories by NYPD Detectives. Starting October 29, 2019.