EAST HARLEM — Car break-ins are on the rise in East Harlem — and the booty lifted so far this year includes a lug nut, $5 in quarters and a vacuum, police said.
Officers asked residents to be more vigilant, after there were 13 break-ins during the first month of 2015. Although it’s the same number as January 2014, it is more than double the break-ins reported during the same period in 2013.
There were 277 break-ins in the 25th Precinct in 2014, a 14 percent increase from 2013, according to the NYPD.
In 132 of the last year's cases, thieves forced their way into cars — usually by smashing the windows — but didn’t take anything. Stolen items were reported in 145 cases, the police said.
Some of the most popular stolen items are smartphones, GPS devices, handbags and wallets, according to the NYPD.
But car smashers are also going after items that don’t seem to be particularly valuable.
“People shouldn’t leave anything visible inside their vehicle, even if they think the items aren’t valuable,” said Capt. Thomas Harnisch of the 25th Precinct.
To increase awareness, the precinct has stepped up crime prevention efforts. Officers have been going to community meetings and telling people ways to avoid break-ins, he added.
Most of it is common knowledge like locking doors, closing windows all the way and parking in well-lit, traffic-heavy areas.
Another tip is to store items in your trunk before you park. If do it after you park, people can see where you’re hiding your valuables, Harnisch said.
