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Vacant Gibson buildings vandalized again

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Windows were smashed and glass covered the sidewalk at the vacant stores on Gibson Boulevard last weekend, evidence of yet another act of vandalism at the blighted property. The damage was reported early Saturday morning by village code enforcement and auxiliary police officers.

Village Clerk Bob Barra said the vandalism occurred between 2 and 8:30 a.m. on July 16. He added that Nassau County police were called and cordoned off the area.

The owner of the property, Dr. Leonard Bleicher, could not be reached until Monday morning but promised to make repairs, according to village officials. On Tuesday, Barra said that workers came to measure the windows for plexiglass, but because of construction and utility work on the road, there was limited access to the buildings.

Barra said repairs were slated for Wednesday, and when those weren't completed by that afternoon, he sent village crews down to board up the windows. He also said that Bleicher will receive a summons for failing to secure his property, and will have to answer in court.

The windows that were broken, at a former podiatry office at the corner of Gibson Boulevard and Muller Place, had been boarded up from the inside.

Anthony Cocuzzi, who lives on Gibson Boulevard just south of the property, said the buildings have been a constant target of vandals for several months. Cocuzzi noticed the damage on Saturday morning and called auxiliary and Nassau County police. “It was very obvious that it was done deliberately,” he said, noting that one piece of glass was broken from top to bottom and another had two large holes in it. “It wasn’t an accident.”

Cocuzzi said that the lack of proper maintenance at the property has been an issue, and that the village needs to be more proactive in monitoring the site. Young people frequently loiter there, he said, and sometimes cause damage.

“It was my understanding that they were stepping up security in the area, but these incidents seem to occur,” he said. “Obviously something more needs to be done. It needs to be totally secure. It needs to be boarded up properly.”

Barra said that after last weekend’s incident, village code enforcement, public safety and auxiliary police officers kept a near-constant watch on the property until repairs could be made.

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