Business owners on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls say they're fed up with crime in the city.

They joined Niagara Falls Councilman Bill Kennedy in calling for change Tuesday.

"Yesterday, we had two incidents in broad daylight, one at an iconic bakery, DiCamillo, then we had an incident down at a gas station where the guy just literally walks up behind the counter and says he's gonna get the money out of the register, and it turns into an altercation," Kennedy said.

Tony Poletti is the President of the Pine Avenue Redevelopment Project, a combined effort from area businesses to keep their community clean and safe.

He says there needs to be a bigger police presence.

"A saturation of patrols, bicycle and foot patrol. All officers regardless of rank, need to get on the streets, patrolling the city and Pine Avenue, which is the backbone of the city," Poletti said.

Kennedy says he believes the police department does a great job, but would like to see more help in the city from outside agencies. He plans to write grants to bring in additional support, and will organize a safety summit.

"It's gonna be the leaders of city, county, state, federal if I have to, whatever the case may be, bringing everybody together. We have to have dialogue, and we have to have it continuously," Kennedy said.

Niagara Falls Police Superintendent Thomas Licata says he understands the frustration, and will take any help offered to the department. He says the department is always submitting grant applications, and one grant allowed for an enforcement action last Thursday with New York State Police and Lewiston Police.

"An 8-hour concentration into the hot spots of the city where the most violent crimes have occurred. In addition, with parole and probation, they were able to go to home checks to some of the most violent citizens in the city," Licata said.

Crime numbers for the city this year and last year are not yet available, but NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services statistics from 2013 to 2017 show an overall drop in reported incidents.

Licata says cameras outside businesses help solve crimes, but if people can do small things like taking down license plate numbers, that can also go a long way.