By Carol Tannenhauser
The number of car thefts on the Upper West Side doubled in January compared to last year, according to NYPD crime stats, and February is off to an inauspicious start.
A 2021 Gray Mercedes-Benz and a 2021 Audi sedan — stolen from the parking garage of The Aldyn at 60 Riverside Boulevard (62-63) at about 6:30 Saturday morning — were last seen “heading toward the outbound Lincoln Tunnel,” a police spokesperson told the Rag. The only other information the police provided was that three men were involved in the theft.
A tipster, however, who asked to remain anonymous, sent us the following letter received by residents of his neighboring building.
We want to alert you to an incident that occurred at the Aldyn parking garage (60 RSB), yesterday, 2/4/23. At 12 midnight, the Aldyn parking garage experienced an attempted car robbery which was thwarted by the attendant on duty. A few hours later the robbers retuned and this time were successful in stealing 2 cars. Police have been on scene and are actively looking for the culprits.
The letter warned the residents to “use caution when entering the parking garage” at their building, “and wait to hand your keys to the attendant on duty to make sure your car is in safe hands. You should also use caution if you are parking your car on the street and if you notice anything suspicious call 911 immediately.”
Welcome to the wild upper west side.
In olden days horse thieves were caught and hung.
Today, car thieves may be caught and most likely will be on the streets again within hours.
I really wish these nonsensical comments would stop.
I agree. We see the same repeated comments almost every time there is a crime or a criminal is apprehended. The comment states something to the effect that the alleged criminal will quickly be released.
Because it is the sad truth Jerry V.
A crime is committed. A person is caught. Found guilty but released within hours to do more acts of crime.
Guaranteed there’s some fine print that says the garage isn’t responsible even though they agreed to take care of your car.
If you give your keys to attendants then it is considered a “bailment” agreement and they are liable. If it is self parking and you take your keys with you it is considered a lease and they are not liable.
Rockstar Games should release their next Grand Theft Auto VI: Upper West Side.
And how about the auto in front of 275 CPW with all four tires stolen.
Good thing they are paying $600/month for safe, off street parking!
I’m pretty sure it is over $800 a month like most places. $600 a month disappeared below 86th St 10 years ago.
And inevitably we will be asked to change our behaviors to prevent or avoid the crime, rather than getting the thieves to change theirs in jail. Next we will be adding more deadlocks and braces from door to floor like the good old days
Well, some politicians don’t want New Yorkers to own cars. So those who do own cars are stuck with this free for all for thieves.
Sadly my car was stolen this morning. I came out for ASP and my car was just gone. I always park on Riverside Dr around 98th or so. The officers said they’ve been responding to many many more stolen car cases in the past few weeks. This stinks….
Also sorry to hear this. Hope you were not parked on the “wrong side” of the street. The times I’ve discovered my car suddenly ‘missing’ while parked on RSD was when it was towed by NYC’s finest.
I was really hoping it was just towed but unfortunately no. Detectives called today and said they spotted the license plate on a camera in the bronx today. Then I saw today all the cars out there with a large pink stripe spray painted on the side. Had to be 20-30 cars.
I’m sorry to hear this. In the old days, I was told not to park on Riverside Drive because cars would be broken into or worse. Sad that it’s still so.
A friend’s car was stolen from 113th, and the police did recover the car some days later.
What is ASP?
Why, it’s the favorite late morning coffee + bagel + NYT (or NYP if you prefer) of every Manhattanite who doesn’t want to pay for garaged parking. “Alternate Street Parking” where you move your car from one side of the street to the other for street cleaning and waiting for the time to expire to avoid the inevitable parking ticket if you do leave your car too early.
Except post-Covid the new convention is to not even bother moving your car. Just sit in it, read your paper and enjoy your breakfast, and when the sweeper comes (if it ever does), then join the circus of cars moving out into the street, blocking traffic, and then take about five minutes each to back up into their original spot.
It’s fun to watch from your apt window if you get the chance – and guess which 2or3 drivers will get screwed over by a late arrival who slides in and steals their original space.
Only in NY !!!
Though dated, two guides prepared by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing (POP Center) offer usueful advice for reducing car crime.
Here’s a link to the guide for theft from parking facilities:
https://popcenter.asu.edu/content/thefts-and-cars-parking-facilities-0
And one for theft from residential streets and driveways:
https://popcenter.asu.edu/content/thefts-and-cars-residential-streets-driveways-0
Note that although both problems revolve around theft of and from cars, these involve different kinds of risk factors and somewhat different preventive measures.
The POP Center also has guides for reducing burglary, focus on the distinct problems of burglary from single-family dwellings, burglary from multi-family units, burglary , burglary of retail establishments, and burglary from construction site. Same “crime” but different problems.
Nothing new here, vehicle thefts from NYC garages happen fairly frequently.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/porsche-range-rover-audi-bmw-stolen-in-armed-manhattan-parking-garage-heist/3895806/
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/luxury-vehicles-stolen-by-armed-robbers-while-parked-inside-midtown-manhattan-garage/3873813/
https://www.silive.com/crime-safety/2023/01/wild-video-shows-how-crew-almost-pulled-off-2-car-thefts-from-parking-lot-of-staten-island-business.html
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/manhattan-parking-garage-robbery-man-tied-up-luxury-vehicles-stolen/848244/
Then you have garage attendants that “borrow” vehicles to run errands, go on joy rides. This comes on top of whatever else they do in parked vehicles such as sleeping, listening to music, taking meal break and so it goes.
Long story short one’s vehicle and or things left inside are perhaps safer in a garage than parked on street, but only so much.