“Car-Hoppers” Rob S.I. Cars of GPS, Phones, Change

We were pleased to hear yesterday about the “bait car” Bronx cops stuffed with consumer electronics to catch some overeager thieves and perhaps clear up a rash of car break-ins. We hope the cops in Annandale, a community in southeastern Staten Island, were also paying attention. The Staten Island Advance reports that 15 vehicles in the well-heeled neighborhood were “car-hopped” in one long night. “Cell phones, a GPS system, some surveillance equipment, a digital camera, a $250 pair of sunglasses and loose change” have been the loot. Of course the locals could also try locking their car doors, since car-hoppers by definition just try car doors till they find one that gives easy and rummage around. But how will the thieving teenagers — whom, the Advance says, are thought to be responsible — ever learn the error of their ways if they don’t spend a night in jail?

Image adapted from a Flickr photo by jswieringa and used under a Creative Commons license.