Ridgewood police detained approximately ten youths on bicycles Tuesday at the Village-owned Hudson Street Parking Garage after a municipal employee reported seeing them surrounding a freshly parked black SUV in the central business district. The youths allegedly opened the vehicle's rear hatch and gasoline intake cover, with several individuals searching the interior, before officers arrived and took the group into custody for questioning.
The employee who first noticed the group told police they had spotted a large group of teenagers and youths on bicycles surrounding the SUV shortly after it was parked, according to The Ridgewood Blog. That alert prompted officers to respond to the garage, where they ultimately detained the group described as detaining approximately ten youths on bicycles. TAPinto similarly reported that a Village employee alerted police to the group searching through the private vehicle in the central business district.
What Happened Inside the SUV
According to the same account, the youths allegedly opened the vehicle's rear hatch and gasoline intake cover, with several individuals searching the interior before officers intervened. It remains unclear whether anything was taken or whether the SUV sustained damage during the incident. Police were in contact with the vehicle's owner afterward to assess whether any property was stolen or if the vehicle sustained any physical damage, per the report.
Following on-site interviews, all detained youths were released to their parents or guardians with signed release forms, the outlet reported. No charges were detailed in connection with the detentions, and the exact outcome of the owner's property check was not immediately available.
Garage Has Drawn Scrutiny Before
The Hudson Street Parking Garage has been the subject of earlier, separate concerns raised in Ridgewood Blog coverage. In one report, the outlet said the word is that many people do not want to park at the Hudson garage because of vandalism, though those accounts were described as unverified. A different report from the same outlet noted it had received word of a security guard being stationed nightly on the top floor of the Hudson Street Parking garage, information the outlet also described as reported but not independently confirmed.
Tuesday's incident adds a fresh data point to that ongoing conversation about safety at the municipal garage, even as key details about the SUV and any resulting damage remain under review by police.
