Ticket booths vandalized on boardwalk

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Long Beach police said that three ticket booths on the boardwalk were vandalized earlier this month, incidents that have sparked the ire of many residents who railed against the damage on social media.

According to Police Commissioner Mike Tangney, a police officer discovered that a booth on Lindell Boulevard had been pushed over the railing on Aug. 9 just after 4 a.m. and broke apart. Two other booths were reported vandalized as well, Tangney said.

The booths were among those painted at a community event organized by the Long Beach Arts Council in May at Kennedy Plaza. The booths were given unique and creative designs that reflect the character of the community and now line the entrances to the beach. Hundreds of artists and residents participated in the event, which was sponsored by I Love NY, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Petrey Real Estate, the West End Beautification Association, Benjamin Moore and Beach Terrace Care Center.

“This is disgusting,” one resident commented on Project 11561, which posted an image of one of the busted booths on its Facebook page. “There was so much time and effort made by the awesome artists that created these booths; so many people volunteered to paint them.”

A number of residents called for more enforcement and security after the incident, though Tangney said that police regularly patrol the boardwalk. He added that police believe a group of teenagers or kids were responsible. The booths were repaired and replaced, Tangney said.

“We have patrols up there, but you can’t be everywhere every second,” he said. “Unfortunately, it’s a senseless crime, and it can be done in a matter of seconds.”