Police Warn Douglaston Residents to Guard Tires, Rims

Thieves have been swiping tires and rims from vehicles within the confines of the 111th Precinct, police said at the precinct's monthly community council meeting.

Special Operations Lt. Daniel Heffernan said Nissan Maximas and Honda Accords were primarily being targeted in the precinct's neighborhoods, which include Douglaston, Little Neck and Bayside.

"If you have nice rims on your car, you should put your car in your driveway," Heffernan said during a meeting earlier this month at the precinct, located at 45-06 215th Street off Northern Boulevard.

Captain Tommy Ng told council members that the number of burglaries in the precinct's neighborhoods have been slightly on the rise. The precinct reported 202 incidents so far this year and 196 incidents in 2009.

Ng also warned residents not to leave valuable items in their vehicles during the upcoming holiday season, during which the numbers of thefts tend to increase.

"When you go shopping at Douglaston Shopping Plaza, don't leave your cell phones or credit cars in your cars," he said.

"We haven't seen any violent crime, which is great news," Ng said of the precinct's crime statistics.

There have been no homicides in the precinct so far this year. In 2009, the precinct reported one murder. The precinct has seen five rapes this year, but the incidents all involved ex-husbands or boyfriends, Ng said. Four arrests have been made in these cases.

The precinct has seen a slight increase in the number of assaults, he said. Last year, a total 32 incidents were reported in the precinct, but there have already been 44 incidents this year.

The number of robberies as well as grand larceny and grand larceny auto incidents were also down so far this year.

There were 68 robberies in the precinct last year, but there have only been 63 so far in 2010. Grand larceny incidents dropped from 320 incidents in 2009 to 294 incidents so far in 2010.

The number of grand larceny auto incidents fell from 137 last year to 118 so far this year.

Overall crime is down nearly five percent, Ng said.

The 111th Precinct Community Council will hold its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 at the precinct.