One of the damaged vehicles (Photo: Mk Moore)
April 4, 2018 By Tara Law
Police have urged Kew Gardens residents not to leave their valuables in their car–after at least a dozen vehicles parked near Forest Park had their windows smashed early this week.
Police say that 12 car owners submitted reports on April 2 and 3 stating that their car windows had been smashed while parked along Metropolitan Ave and Park Lane South early this week. Two car owners also reported that belongings inside the cars were stolen.
Mk Moore, who lives on 116th Street, said that he was walking along Park Lane South with his dog shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday when he noticed shattered glass.
Moore counted 20 vehicles with smashed-in right front windows. He said glove compartments had been raided, and the owners’ belongings were strewn outside the cars.
“I’ve been here for 25 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Moore.
(Photo: Mk Moore)
Moore, who is the president of the Friends of Forest Park community group, said the area is dark at night and attracts criminals who can easily escape into the woods.
Moore said that his organization has called for crime prevention measures at the park for years, and that the incident should be a wakeup call for the neighborhood.
“We want to see cameras, improved lighting, and enhanced enforcement,” Moore said. “The area is changing, and not for the better.”
The day the incidents were reported, the 102nd precinct released a safety alert on Twitter asking the community to beware of car thefts and break-ins in the area.
The notice urged car owners to lock their cars and to refrain from leaving keys and other valuables in their vehicles.
