If she had not woken up in the middle of the night, all of her tires and rims would have been stolen.
A Howard Beach resident told The Courier that in the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 12, she woke up, looked outside her window, and saw three men surrounding her 2009 Nissan Maxima, which she said had been hoisted onto cinder blocks.
She called 9-1-1 as the three suspects jumped into an eggplant or maroon sedan and fled.
Officers of the 106th Precinct responded to the scene quickly and drove the woman around in search of the suspects’ car. She then filled out a report that chronicled the loss of three tires and alloy rims, which, she said, her insurance company estimates at $500 apiece.
In addition to the loss, the bumper on her vehicle is cracked, she said, and her headlight is lifted.
A neighbor has video surveillance, said the woman, but she is unsure as to whether the incident was captured on camera.
Police say that three complaints were filed on Tuesday, and that there may be more that were not reported.
They are looking for two male blacks, according to a source, who said that safety tips include parking in a well-lit area and checking your vehicle if your alarm goes off.
And, of course, call 9-1-1 immediately.
In the meantime, after her car is repaired, the victim said she will purchase tires with specialized locks.
“If they are targeting these types of cars I won’t let them do it again.”