Thieves desperate for highly coveted city parking permits have gone on a window-smashing spree in The Bronx and Washington Heights, breaking into at least 10 firefighters’ cars and swiping their union-issued placards, The Post has learned.
The rash of break-ins over the last month coincides with Mayor Bloomberg’s attempts to crack down on the surging number of official parking permits being issued annually. He has ordered all city agencies to reduce their numbers by 20 percent this year.
The sudden paucity of parking permits may be what has driven crooks to target the union placards given to firefighters – even though the cards aren’t city-issued and allow free parking only around firehouses.
The firefighters union began issuing its 2008 placards to members on Jan. 10. Since then, four have been stolen from cars parked around Engine Co. 93 in Washington Heights, according to a firefighter.
“They break in the back windows and take the radios and placards,” said the firefighter, who identified himself only as Bill.
The veteran firefighter said NYPD brass recently told fire officials that surveillance would be increased near the firehouse.
An FDNY source said police permits were also being stolen from cop cars in the area – and winding up on the dashboards of civilian vehicles parked illegally in front of fire hydrants.
NYPD Assistant Chief Michael Collins said the department was “not aware of any complaints regarding missing FDNY or NYPD placards.”
But fire sources confirmed that at least six cars around other firehouses in The Bronx have been burgled in the past month, on top of the thefts in Washington Heights.
Firefighters suspect the thieves wait until firefighters get called to an emergency and strike.
“All they do is break the windows and take the placard. They leave everything else. That’s all they usually take,” said firefighter Mike Rochford, of Engine Co. 64 in The Bronx.
Anthony Wilcox, from nearby Ladder Co. 47, chimed in, “I don’t know what the solution is, short of screwing [the placard] to the dashboard.”
“The whole thing kind of shocks me, but they know there aren’t any cameras here.
“I reported it to police, but it was just another break-in,” said Wilcox, adding that he recently saw FDNY placards selling on eBay for up to $200. “It’s rampant.”
gotis@nypost.com