HARLEM — There has been at least one arrest in the ongoing investigation of a rash of car thefts in East Harlem, police said.
Alejandro Batista, 31, broke into a parked car and stole a pair of jeans from the car, which had a wallet that contained credit cards, a MetroCard and $60 in cash on Oct. 30 around noon, police said.
Batista used a screwdriver to break the window of the car to steal the items. He also used the tool to deface the side of the car, according to the criminal complaint.
He was arrested the same day.
Police in the 25th Precinct have been investigating a pattern of car thefts near the Triborough Bridge on East 125th Street, where there were multiple reports of car break-ins.
Last month, three thefts resulted in more than $3,600 in items stolen, DNAinfo New York previously reported.
In one case, a 29-year-old woman told police that on Oct. 29 at 12:45 p.m., she parked her car near the Triborough Bridge on East 125th Street before going to Randall’s Island to see her son’s soccer game.
When she returned she saw both front windows had been broken and $1,315 worth of items taken from the car, including her bank card, backpack, tote bag, cash, dress pants, jewelry, makeup, MTA pass, phone charger, notebook and shoes.
Batista has not been connected to that case, according to the criminal complaint. But, he was previously convicted of second-degree auto stripping in 2011.
In this case, he was charged with one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree auto stripping, and possession of burglar’s tools.
He pleaded guilty on Nov. 4 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
