By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER EAST SIDE — Car break-ins have jumped dramatically on the Lower East Side, with shattered windows and ransacked glove compartments increasingly greeting drivers as the arrive at their cars first thing in the morning.
Police data shows a 41 percent increase this year in incidents of criminal mischief against cars — including broken windows and slashed tires — with 69 reports in the 7th precinct so far, versus 49 at this time last year.
Thefts from cars have increased slightly, to 49 from 46. With many drivers choosing not to report smaller break-ins, those stats likely underreport the extent of the crime wave.
“We’ve had more than usual lately,” said Dennis Schmidt, a community affairs officer in the 7th Precinct, whose headquarters are located under the same stretch of the bridge.
“We’re aware that it’s a problem.”
With private parking garages charging upwards of $300 a month, street parking in Manhattan is a hot commodity. Legions of neighborhood car owners rely on the free parking on Delancey Street that stretches under the Williamsburg bridge from Ridge Street to the FDR Drive.
But some have paid a high price for parking for free.
Miguel Santos, 26, used to park in the area whenever he visited his girlfriend who lives nearby.
Two weeks ago, Santos returned to his Mercedes SUV to find a window smashed and his tires slashed. Nothing was stolen, he said, because there was nothing in the car to steal.
“I felt terrible. It felt like a disaster,” said Santos, who had to pay $350 to have the damaged glass repaired, plus $250 for each tire.
While Santos had to pay to fix the damage, he didn’t report the incident to police.
“Police are gonna do nothing about some broken glass,” he said with a sigh.
Schmidt said police can’t know how many victims choose not to report break-ins.
“If they look around and there’s nothing physically taken, is it worth them going to their insurance?” Schmidt asked. “It's going be up to the discretion of the car owner.”
Cab driver Ben Lin, who parks in the area during his lunch break, said he would hesitate to leave his car parked there overnight.
“At evening, I'm worried,” he said. “I sometimes see a lot of broken glass.”
Officer Schmidt said there is no pattern to the break-ins and blamed low-level street criminals looking to make fast cash during tough economic times.
He said the department has been handing out fliers outlining precautions drivers can take to protect themselves, including parking in well-lit areas and always removing valuables from cars or hiding them.
“In this climate, people will take advantage of everything they can,” he said.
