Park Slope Car Theft Epidemic Slowing?

We've been tracking the stories about the little bursts of crime in Park Slope from the "wolf packs" of teens reported earlier this year attacking and robbing people in and around Prospect Park to the more recent spate of robberies at the Seventh Avenue station that led to the much publicized racial profiling issue. And, then, there was epidemic of stolen Honda Civics. Now, the Park Slope Courier is reporting that the thefts in the 78th Precinct have gone from average of eight per week, down to one.

What amuses us, though, is the tale of the one car that was stolen. It was a 1993 Plymouth Van reported taken from the corner of 5th and St. Marks avenues. (What kind of moron steals a '93 Plymouth van, we don't know.) Here's the fun part: "The owner claimed that he parked the car on the spot on September 7. He went back to the car on September 21 to find that someone had helped themselves to it."

Yes, you read that correctly. Us, we read it about seven times to make sure we weren't seeing things.

Alternate side of the street parking, anyone? Did the dude hit suspended parking days two weeks running before the van was taken?

So, here are the stats: Between September 17 and 21, six cars were ripped off. The week before, eight were taken, making for a total of 20 in September. But, from September 25 through October 1, only the Miracle Alternate Side Defying Van was stolen.

The precinct says it put out more patrols, but there have been no arrests and they attribute the reduction in part to "luck."