Bad news: burglaries are booming within the Village area in 2014, with a shocking 135 percent increase compared to last year’s totals at this point.
As of March 2, 40 break-ins were reported throughout the Police
Department’s Sixth Precinct, compared to just 17 reported through the first two months of 2013, according to police statistics.
Inspector Elisa Cokkinos, who commands the Sixth Precinct, reportedly said two weeks ago that many of the recent burglaries took place after West Village residents left their apartment doors unlocked, and that police believe a single culprit or team of culprits is behind those crimes.
One such daytime apartment break-in took place just steps away from the W. 10th St. precinct on Feb. 11, when an unknown burglar made off with three laptops, an iPad and $500 in cash from a 516 Hudson St. home.
Village cops have already dealt with one — albeit smaller — burglary pattern earlier this year, after Adrain Longo, 36, was arrested on Feb. 3 for three commercial break-ins that all took place on Jan. 27.
In that case, Longo hit a bar and two restaurants just below the Meatpacking District — but he caused more alarm than financial damage, after only making off with a bottle of liquor, according to police records.
— Sam Spokony
