Residents vexed by tire thefts in North Valley Stream

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Some 15 cars have had their tires stolen since 2015 in North Valley Stream, according to the Nassau County Police Department. The most recent tire theft occurred on the night of Aug. 20 on Val Park Avenue.

“Overnight we’ve been waking up to cars sitting on bricks,” said Aleshia Falconer, who lives on Rottkamp Street. “It’s been mostly all four tires.”

Falconer said that many residents in the area park in the street because the area does not have any parking restrictions. But her husband’s car was parked in the driveway when all four tires were stolen from his car in March. Since then, she said, she keeps a bright light on every night and is in the process of installing security cameras at her house.

Joann Ovsen, another Rottkamp Street resident, said that she is not permitted to install cameras at her condominium, but that she did install locking lug nuts after all four tires of her Honda were slashed in May. Ovsen said that she figured she ran over a nail and just needed air in her tires, but when she brought it to an auto mechanic, he showed her slashes in all four tires. “He says, ‘No airs not going to do it,” she remembered.

Only about five months prior, Ovsen’s daughter, Jennifer, was visiting and woke up to find that all four tires of her Toyota Corolla were stolen. According to Joann, the front two tires were on cinder blocks and the back two tires were on rocks, which made it difficult for her to install new tires.

“If they had at least put it on a cylinder, we could jack it up,” she said.

According to NCPD Public Information Officer Vincent Garcia, the problem is more widespread than just Rottkamp Street. Police are investigating the thefts from as far north as Masjid Hamza to as far south as the corner of Foster Avenue and Ormonde Boulevard.

Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D-Elmont), who met with several victims, sent a letter on Sept. 1 to Commanding Officer James Bartscherer requesting regular patrols in the area and the use of decoy police cars with GPS tracking to help catch the thieves.

In the meantime, Garcia recommended that residents park their cars in garages, in a well-lit areas, install car alarms, turn their wheels when parking, use tire locks or install surveillance cameras.