Residents Fed Up After Nearly 50 Cars Vandalized Over 2 Weeks In Washington Heights
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Residents in Washington Heights are outraged over a surge in vehicle vandalism in recent weeks.
New York Sen. Adriano Espaillat said about 50 cars along 190th Street and Amsterdam Avenue have had their windows broken over the past two weeks.
"People are very upset that this happens. This is a working class neighborhood. People park there and get up in the morning, expect to go to work and they find their vehicle vandalized. That's not a good day for anybody," Espaillat told 1010 WINS.
Eddy Tolentino, who lives in the area and was victim to the vandalism, said part of the problem is that parking is hard to find, which forces people to park behind the George Washington Bridge.
Tolentino said he thinks the city should put cameras up in the area to help deter the vandals.
Espaillat agreed, saying he plans to ask the Department of Transportation for better security in the area.
"We're looking to ask DOT to have better lighting in the area, especially some security cameras, and a greater police presence," the senator said.
Espaillat said police have told him they have a lead on at least one suspect in the case.
"They have informed us that they have a video, they have film of the perpetrators and that they have potentially identified one of them," he said. "And so we're looking for them to proceed with an investigation."
But until the suspects are caught, residents will still run the risk of vandalism while parking in the area.
