Lockers Installed at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5 to Combat Repeated Thefts

BROOKLYN — Brooklyn Bridge Park has installed lockers at Pier 5 after multiple thefts of unattended bags and valuables have plagued the park in recent months, officials said. 

"Unfortunately, despite steps taken to mitigate the theft of unattended property at the park, visitors continue to take unnecessary risks," BBP spokeswoman Belinda Cape said via email Thursday. 

The Pier 5 lockers were installed in early October, Cape said. Though lockers have been available at Pier 2 since 2014, they are "sadly underutilized," she added. 

"Working with the 84th Precinct, BBP has installed lockers at our athletic piers 2 and 5, placed signage and regularly distributed flyers asking visitors not to leave their belongings, and engaged in direct outreach to leagues and permittees of our athletic facilities."

NYPD signs warning visitors not to leave property unattended and to report suspicious activity have been added throughout the park during the past year. 

Thefts often occur when park visitors leave their backpacks, wallets, cellphones and other electronics unattended while playing basketball and soccer at the athletic piers, according to police reports.

This week, police released a selfie of a thief who snatched an unattended bag on Pier 5 last month.

And since last week, at least three thefts have occurred in the park, according to the 84th Precinct:

► A 19-year-old man was playing basketball Oct. 10 when a thief rifled through his unattended bag and stole a $250 Nike sweater, a wallet, drivers license, debit card, ID, house key and Kobe Bryant NBA cards.

► A $6,000 Louis Vuitton bag was stolen after it was left unattended on a park bench at Pier 1 in the park Oct. 14 at about 10:30 a.m. Along with the bag, the 21-year-old victim lost her $800 Chanel wallet, an iPhone, credit and debit cards, Bose earphones and a makeup set.

► A soccer player left his bag unattended at Pier 5 on Oct. 16 between 6 and 6:40 p.m. on Pier 5. When he returned, his backpack, wallet, drivers license, debit card, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and $200 in cash were missing.