MIDTOWN — A would-be car thief left a gruesome scene behind early on Monday morning after he cut himself breaking into a BMW sports utility vehicle, splashing blood across the hood of the car and leaving a trail as he fled, according to police
The 36-year-old homeless man smashed the driver’s side window of a parked BMW SUV on 32nd Street between Madison and Fifth avenues at 4:30 a.m., badly cutting his right arm, and tried to drive off, but abandoned the attempt because his wound wouldn't stop bleeding, police said.
As he fled, he got blood on the hood of the car as well as the driver's side doors of the car, left a large pool of blood on the sidewalk and a trail down 32nd Street as he headed east, police said.
Cops arrested the injured man at 30th Street and Lexington Avenue shortly after the alleged break-in, police said.
He was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center for treatment. He was charged with attempted grand larceny auto, authorities said. The man took property from the car, but police could not immediately say what was taken.
The BMW was still sitting at the intersection on Monday afternoon, horrifying passersby.
“It looks like a murder scene,” said one worker, who declined to give his name. “I’m surprised the guy’s alive.”
One resident of the block tutted at the scene, but said he is not overly concerned with safety in the neighborhood. Break-ins are not too common thanks to good lighting and an around-the-clock presence of pedestrians, he said.
“Even in the nighttime I think it’s too visible,” said Randy Nieves, noting he's lived in the neighborhood for 25 years. “It used to be a constant thing, but now there are always people around.”
