May 5, 2010: Vol. 33, No. 19

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May 5, 2010 / Brooklyn news / Police Blotter / Bay Ridge

Shore Road smash-o-rama for a dozen cars

By Thomas Tracy

The Brooklyn Paper

Heavy-handed thieves converged on Shore Road on May 1, looting a dozen cars parked along the usually serene strip of park land.

Police confirmed that EZ Passes, navigation systems, laptop computers and loose change were taken from the cars parked between 94th and 99th Street. The thefts, mostly smash-and-grabs, occurred sometime after midnight, said Insp. Eric Rodriguez, the commanding officer of the 68th Precinct.

Pedulla Tile

“[The thieves] were taking mostly low-level tech stuff,” he said. “Some change was also taken.”

The Shore Road violence was just part of a larger trend across Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights last week, where 18 cars were busted into, Rodriguez said, adding that four people were arrested, though police do not believe any was linked to the Shore Road crimes.

In order to stem the growing tide of car break-ins, Rodriguez said that he and his officers are trying to dry up the demand for the hot goods.

“[The thieves] manage to sell this stuff on the street pretty quickly. There are people who are buying this stuff in the neighborhood,” Rodriguez said, adding that he and his officers are now cracking down on people who are buying the stolen merchandise.

Just last week, cops raided a local jewelry store that allegedly dabbled in stolen goods, Rodriguez said.

“Soon the pressure is going to be on these guys not to buy the stolen merchandise,” he said.

Saturday’s car break-in spree left residents rattled, claiming that police are doing nothing to prevent car break-ins and tire thefts in the area.

“I feel like a glutton for punishment parking on Shore [Road] but with no spot in my building and a 200-year waiting list, I have no choice,” said resident Justin Sorrentino, whose car managed to escape the smash spree unscathed.

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Reader Feedback

robert moses from bay ridge says:

It's probably the same degenerates that walk around the area panhandling and getting in the faces of old folks.

There was a guy passed out on a lawn at 93rd St. and Ridge last week in the middle of the pm, when he woke up he probably needed a fresh fix. The cops saw him and kept on going, probably to collect some envelopes from the restaurants to allow their customers to double park.

May 5, 2010, 11:34 am

Paul A. from Bay Ridge/Ft. Hamilton says:

It's nothing new to this area where the parking along that stretch has always been a prime target for vehicle break-ins.These mutts know how to tell time and they know the shift change hour for 4 to 12s.The summertime is when these skels are most active and more of a NYPD presence along shore road might help.As far buying stuff from these skels, you are buying stolen property.Somebody in your neighborhood worked to buy the item.The NYPD can't be everywhere & you can help by keeping your eyes open.If you see something use your phone.

May 5, 2010, Noon

Justice from Bay Ridge says:

This has happened MANY times before, unfortunately. From the 97th Street park ramp down to the B63 bus depot. They break every passenger window or rear passenger window and take whatevers there. Its sad.

May 15, 2010, 6:24 pm

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