WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Three teens accused of vandalizing several cars on Cabrini Avenue and stealing a vehicle owner's credit cards have been arrested, police said.
Christian Perez, 16, Jose Jimenez, 18, and Joseph Valerio, 16, were caught shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday when police responded to a 911 call near West 190th Street and Cabrini Boulevard, the NYPD said.
They were charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and auto stripping, according to the district attorney.
Witnesses reported five men breaking into multiple cars on the street, police said. Three of the men smashed the windows of the cars while two other men served as lookouts, according to police.
About 18 cars were damaged, police sources said.
The officers canvassed the area and apprehended the three suspects. At the time of his arrest, Perez was in possession of credit cards that belonged to the owner of one of the vandalized cars, the district attorney said. Police also recovered a New York State driver’s license and cash.
The incident was the most recent in a spate of vandalism to hit the area. In the early morning hours of July 1, police said 17 cars, most of them parked on Cabrini Boulevard near 190th Street, also had their windows smashed.
The number of grand larcenies in the 34th Precinct is up this year, with 229 so far compared to 192 for the same time period last year, according to NYPD crime statistics.
