Car break-ins spark fear among Rego Park residents
REGO PARK, Queens (PIX11) — Residents in a Queens neighborhood say a string of car break-ins has left them feeling increasingly unsafe and frustrated by what they describe as repeated incidents over the past several weeks.
Surveillance video appears to show people breaking into vehicles along 62nd Drive in Rego Park. In one video, two men appear to approach a parked vehicle and break its window before taking items from inside. "They come, they break into the car window, they damage the car, and they take whatever belongings they could find," one resident said.
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According to residents, suspects have arrived on mopeds and in vehicles, sometimes using methods to obscure their license plates. "They come multiple times, it's unbelievable," the resident said.
In another surveillance video, the suspects appear to toss something inside a vehicle. When the car alarm goes off, they run away.
Witnesses say the incidents have happened at different times of the day. One surveillance video appears to show an incident occurring shortly before 8 a.m., raising concerns among neighbors who say families and children are already out in the neighborhood at that time. "This is a place where people raise their kids," one resident said. "But now it's become a center where there's constant investigations."
Residents told PIX11 News they have been contacting police about the incidents for weeks. They say officers do respond after break-ins, often canvassing the area and asking residents for surveillance footage, but they want to see more preventive patrols.
The neighborhood is covered by the NYPD's 112th Precinct. NYPD data cited by residents shows overall grand larceny is up by nearly 56% in the area, with nearly 400 incidents reported so far this year.
While burglary is down citywide in 2026 overall, residents point to a recent increase in their neighborhood. According to the data reviewed by PIX11, there were 14 burglary incidents reported in the most recent 28-day period, compared with seven during the same period last year. "We should be addressing before the wrong happens," one resident said.
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Residents say they have noticed police vehicles passing through the neighborhood during the day but say they want a more consistent presence, particularly at night. "I'm nervous. Maybe the police can help us out, to make sure it's being patrolled," one resident said.
PIX11 has reached out to the NYPD for more information about the reported break-ins and police presence in the area.
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