Two evening gowns, a pair of glasses and $5 in loose change were stolen from three unlocked cars in East Hills early Monday morning, said Manny Zuckerman, the village’s deputy mayor and supervising trustee for security.
“I can’t believe in this day and age people are leaving their car doors unlocked,” Mayor Michael Koblenz said. “I can’t help with legislation if people don’t follow the basics, and one of the basics is that they lock their car doors.”
The thefts took place at approximately 2 a.m., Zuckerman said. One of the thefts happened near the intersection of Crescent Lane and Holly Lane, a second near the corner of Wagon Road and Round Hill Road, and a third occurred at an unknown location nearby.
The $5 in change was stolen at Crescent Lane, the wedding gowns and some additional change were taken at Wagon Road, and the pair of glasses was swiped from a car at the third location.
“Is it a crime wave? No,” Koblenz said.
Zuckerman said the thief could commit the same crime again.
“If people keep their cars unlocked, they’re motivating the thieves to come back,” Zuckerman said. “We sent out an email to residents about it and to make sure if their cars are parked in the driveway, they keep them locked.”
Zuckerman advised other “common sense precautions” like turning on burglar alarms and making sure a house is well lit.
He oversees a village security force with an annual budget of as much as $750,000, which pays for up to 18 employees and up to four cars patrolling per shift, Zuckerman said.
“If a bunch of people are going to hide in the bushes and wait until the patrol car goes past a house, they have a good five minutes to do whatever they want,” he said.
“Unless we have a patrol car in front of everyone’s house, we can’t stop it.”
He said the Nassau County police will determine whether to undertake an investigation. Efforts to get information about the incidents from the police were unavailing.
