Several thugs attempted to burglarize a Maspeth house just before 1 p.m. on August 6, a gutsy move when many pairs of eyes could simply look out the window and see that something was out of place.

A next-door neighbor got home early from work and noticed two strangers ringing the doorbell. He went into his house, heard some noises and observed the intruders trying to force open the back door with a crowbar.

He attempted to chase down the thugs, and his yells of “Get him! Get the plate!” caught the attention of a young male neighbor, who ran up to the getaway vehicle, a light blue minivan with an Illinois license plate, which was parked several hundred yards up the block at 60th Drive and Mount Olivet Crescent.

“They skidded out around the corner with a screech and I knew they were already gone,” said the young man, “so I focused on the plate only, repeating the numbers over and over to myself.”

It turns out several of the middle digits were incorrect, but his description helped police quickly track down the speeding vehicle, which crashed into several parked cars on the other side of the cemetery, on a residential stretch of 69th Street and Caldwell Avenue. The suspects took off on foot and a frantic pursuit followed, with helicopters searching from above. As of press time, the suspects had not been caught.

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We didn't hear good news tonight.

1. We are #1 in the city in Grand Larceny Autos (car thefts).  In one area of the 104th three cars were stolen off one block in less than 28 days!  The car thefts are precinct wide and we were told some cars are being stolen right out of driveways.  Car thefts usually occur between the hours of 1 am and 5 am.  Most of the autos stolen are mini vans.
2. We are #2 or #3 in the city in home burglaries which usually occur between 10 am and 4 pm and this is occurring precinct wide.  Most entries are made through windows or through the rear of the house.

Please alert the neighbors and tell them if they see anything that doesn't look right to call 911 immediately.