CAR VANDALISM & BURGLARIES IN EAST HAMPTON

By Dan Rattiner

East Hampton was hit with a series of car related attempted burglaries, hate crimes and vandalism during the month of April.

At night on Saturday, April 4, more than 20 residents reported car damage in East Hampton Town on Gerard Drive, Woodbine Drive, Springs Fireplace Road and Whalebone Landing Road. Meanwhile, in East Hampton Village there were reports of damage to six cars that night on the Circle off Main Street, Cooper Lane and the parking lot behind Main Street. How many other attacks occurred that night without having been reported is unknown.

All damage was similar enough for the two police department to attribute it to several people working together. Windows and windshields were smashed with heavy objects, mirrors were ripped off, car doors were keyed and in two cases, attempts were made to pry open the doors to expensive locked cars, apparently using crowbars, for the purpose of stealing what was inside. Two cars were declared total losses, one that belongs to a local architect, the other to a local nurse.

Further damage was done to a car on Gerard Drive the following Saturday night, April 11, and still another act of vandalism took place to a parked car on Gerard Drive on Monday, April 20. On at least one occasion, an obscenity was written with a sharp object three feet high on the side of a car, the job going right down to the metal. The cars damaged are both expensive and inexpensive models. There seems to be no distinction made between the two.

It is disturbing to think that some sick individual or individuals would do this. Police note that the first of these attacks occurred on the Saturday night of the beginning of the local high school's spring vacation. They say they have leads and are working on the case.

If others have had damage such as this and have not yet reported it to the police, they should do so. The cars damaged have been either on narrow streets or in short private driveways where they are pulled in but still quite near to the street.

People living on narrow streets in East Hampton Town or any other towns should be on the lookout for people doing this sort of thing. If it occurs, be sure to report it to the police. Organizing a neighborhood watch might also be a good idea. Hopefully, whoever has done this will be caught, and repatriation of the costs borne by the victims demanded.

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