By:Jeff Lipton
A prankster is sticking it to car owners, but his victims said they are not laughing at his practical jokes.
Since Friday, Nov. 10, police have received reports of a spate of tires being slashed in the H-6 municipal parking lot run by the Town of Hempstead on Franklin Avenue, between Broadway and East Broadway, in Hewlett. The culprit has struck about 20 times, baffling police and forcing them to stake out the 266-space parking lot in a last-ditch effort to nail the slasher. Many others are believed to have been victimized but did not fill out a police report.
Police said they believe the person uses an ice pick and carries out the mischief overnight. Many of the victims live in the nearby Garden Town co-ops. One car owner was hit three times and another had all four tires slashed at one time, officials said.
"I got hit once about two months ago," said Charlie Gentilella, a handyman at the co-op. "It was a brand new tire, too.
"These tires go for $125 a pop," he said, adding that he was one of those who quietly fixed his tire and did not report it to police.
Even though he was victimized, he said he and other co-op residents continue to park their cars in the lot because the 70 parking spots available at the co-op are not enough to accommodate all those living in the 110 apartments. "We've got no other choice," Gentilella said. "We've got limited garage space. Where else are we going to park?"
On Friday afternoon, March 2, a red Mazda Miata sat in the lot with its left-side tires flat. A note left on the car windshield stated that a police officer had noticed on Sunday, Feb. 25, that the tires had been slashed.
Arlene Silverstein of Hewlett, returning to her car last Friday, said she uses the lot about three times a week to go shopping locally. But she said she would never park her car there at night.
"In every area there is going to be some vandalism," Silverstein said. "You just have to be more wary and vigilant."
Katie Grilli-Robles, a Town of Hempstead spokesperson, said that besides the Fourth Precinct, the town has enlisted the help of the Five Towns Auxiliary Police to help patrol the parking lot. Town Supervisor Richard Guardino received a letter from a victim and acted on it immediately by notifying the town's public safety department and Inspector George Gudmundsen, commanding officer of the Fourth Precinct, Grilli-Robles said.
She said only the H-6 lot has been hit by the tire-slasher. Anyone may park in H-6, an unmetered lot, at any time, except between 3 and 8 a.m. Saturday in the portion closest to the co-ops.
"This is very aggravating to people," Gudmundsen said. "Town officials and we are doing what we can. It's confounding."
Although police are certain the slashings are occurring overnight, the vandal has varied his routine, just enough to throw police off the track. For instance, he has struck in consecutive days and then weeks go by before another car is hit. "It's been four weeks apart, or a week apart and then a couple of days apart and it has been difficult to pinpoint," the inspector said. "If an ice pick is used, it can take about two seconds.
"I'm concerned because it has been going on for a long time," Gudmundsen added.
The motive seems to be nothing more than criminal mischief, because cars have not been broken into and nothing appears to have been stolen, the inspector said. Victims said they believe the vandal has done it for kicks.
The pattern of tire slashings has been turned over to the Fourth Squad detectives. Police urge anyone who notices anything suspicious in the lot to call them at (516) 573-6400 or 573-6452. All calls will be kept strictly confidential.
