A number of vehicles in Manhattan are being targeted due to their expensive side mirrors, the New York Post reports.
According to the New York Police Department, 18 vehicles between March 1 and April 26 have had their mirrors stolen. Ten of the thefts occurred in the 20th Precinct between West 59th and West 86th streets while four others occurred in the 24th Precinct between West 86th and West 110th streets.
Vehicles targeted include Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and BMW models as many of them are fitted with side mirrors with built-in cameras which are valued between $1500 and $2000 each.
“This is a local pattern in Manhattan North and does not appear to be a citywide condition,” a New York Police Department spokesman said, adding that the thieves “remove both side-view mirrors from luxury automobiles. It is likely the mirrors are being stolen in order to re-sell them.”
Most of the thefts have taken place at night and an NYPD spokeswoman revealed that the detective bureau and precinct commander are deploying additional officers “during the midnight patrol to address the larcenies.”
“People tend to ignore car alarms nowadays, but if you hear one going off in the middle of the night, take a look, and if you see something suspicious, call 911,” added deputy inspector Timothy Malin.
A number of new vehicles come equipped with cameras attached to their side mirrors to help with parking and blind-spot monitoring. While they are convenient, they are also expensive and evidently, have started to catch the eye of thieves.