On a routine Wednesday camp pickup in Crown Heights, a mother had her silver Honda Odyssey stolen right off the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and Lefferts Avenue after she stepped away from the running minivan to carry an infant. Within moments, neighbors and community volunteers were blasting out alerts while police checked surveillance cameras in the area.
According to Anash.org, the woman removed her infant from the still-running vehicle and left the keys inside as she went to bring out additional children from pickup. In those few minutes, another car reportedly pulled up, suspects jumped into the Odyssey and sped off. The outlet reports that Crown Heights volunteers quickly issued a BOLO alert and that the van was taken outside Beth Rivkah Day Camp at Brooklyn and Lefferts avenues.
Auto Thefts Tick Up In The 71st Precinct
The NYPD's NYPD CompStat report for the 71st Precinct lists eight grand-larceny auto incidents in the most recent 28-day period and 39 so far this year, numbers that highlight a rise in opportunistic vehicle thefts in the neighborhood. The document covering the week of June 22 to 28 breaks out crime totals by category and is updated weekly by the NYPD CompStat unit.
Community Response And Arrests
Anash.org also reports that police arrested suspects who had arrived in a separate vehicle and that some of those taken into custody have prior records. At last report, however, the stolen Odyssey and the person who drove it away had not been found. Volunteers have been reviewing nearby camera footage and working with the 71st Precinct as the search continues.
Simple Precautions Parents Can Take
Crime-prevention efforts such as the PR Newswire covered "Lock It or Lose It" campaign hammer home the basics: remove keys, lock doors and never leave a running car unattended, since many vehicle thefts are quick crimes of opportunity. Those reminders loom especially large during hectic summer camp drop-offs and pickups when adults are juggling kids, bags and tight schedules.
How To Report A Sighting
Anyone who spots the missing minivan, described as a silver Honda Odyssey, is asked to call 911 and the Crown Heights Shomrim 24-hour hotline at 718-774-3333; tips can also be shared with the NYPD's 71st Precinct. For precinct boundaries, contact details and reporting options, see the NYPD's NYPD site and Shomrim of Crown Heights' contact page.
