Queens Shmira Responds To Overnight KGH Vehicle Break-In

The importance of remaining vigilant was driven home in Kew Gardens Hills only days after the NYPD’s High Holiday Security Briefing. Shortly before 2 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16, the Queens Shmira hotline received a call reporting an ongoing vehicle break-in on 70th Avenue, just off 141st Street. Queens Shmira volunteers responded and, working together with alert community members, located three young men believed to have been involved in breaking into a parked vehicle. Shmira members determined that the vehicle belonged to the owner of a local daled minim distributor and awakened the owner shortly before 2 a.m. The three individuals were subsequently taken into custody by police.

Upon examining the vehicle, responders encountered an especially disturbing sight: the owner’s tefillin were dangling from the car doorway, while personal belongings had been scattered throughout the vehicle. Among the property believed to have been stolen was a laptop, although the full extent of what was missing was not immediately clear. The incident, occurring in the weeks before Sukkos when local daled minim distributors are preparing for their busiest season, served as a timely reminder that even familiar residential blocks can become targets for crimes of opportunity.

 

NYPD Vehicle-Safety Reminders

The NYPD urges motorists to lock every door every time, even when a vehicle is parked directly outside the home or will be unattended only briefly, as thieves sometimes simply test door handles until they find an unlocked vehicle. Valuables such as laptops, phones, bags, wallets, religious articles, and packages should be removed whenever possible and never left visible. Drivers should fully close windows, activate available alarms, remove keys and key fobs, and, whenever possible, choose a well-lit and active location for parking. Sensitive identifying documents should also not be left unnecessarily inside a vehicle.

Anyone witnessing a break-in or other crime in progress should get to safety and call 911 rather than unnecessarily confronting suspects. Callers should provide the precise location and as much descriptive information as can safely be observed. For suspicious activity or other community safety concerns, Queens Shmira is available 24/7 at 718-329-4444. For crimes in progress or emergencies, always call 911.