Robberies worry Five Towns residents

Andy and Elyse Trevers have been living in their Nelson Court home in Hewlett for more than 30 years, and until recently had never experienced any criminal activity in the neighborhood.

In the past 18 months, however — and as recently as Aug. 10 — the Treverses’ vehicles have been broken into three times, and Andy said he believes the incidents were drug-related. “They left my E-ZPass and GPS but took eight dollars in quarters,” he said. “I stopped a policeman who was driving by, but he said they can’t trace it, since it’s quarters.”

In the past two months there have been 14 reported incidents of property theft from vehicles in Hewlett and Woodmere varying from sedans to SUVs. Wendy Hillsberg, a three-year Nelson Court resident, said she realized something was wrong when she got into her car on Aug. 10 and her glove compartment was open. She later found out that her daughter’s iTouch was missing. “I felt invaded,” she said. “My daughter was crying and my kids are scared. I’m worried that next time it could be my house.”

There is a chain-link fence between Grant Park and Nelson Court, a dead-end street, but the fence is not locked at night. According to Trevers, barbed wire once topped the fence but has since been cut in some areas. “Kids can jump the fence, and the park is unsupervised,” he said. “The county should put the barbed wire back.”

Earlier this month, Elyse Trevers sent an email to County Executive Ed Mangano’s office in the hope of having the fence repaired to help prevent further thefts. “I know the county has money issues,” Andy said, “but if they can revitalize Grant Park” — where new artificial-turf fields were added in June — “they can put money into fixing our situation.”

“The county will conduct the fence repairs,” said Mike Martino, a spokesman for the Nassau County Department of Public Works, “and explore how best to secure Grant Park at night.”

Nassau County police, according to the Treverses, have not been much help. “The police are apathetic about it,” Andy said.

“We don’t see police here ever,” Elyse added.