They werenât there for the cheap futons.
The Red Hook IKEA was plagued by a rash of thefts wę§hile shoppers roamed the Swedish furniture storeâs aisles, but cops have slashed the thefts alðĶĐmost to zero through innovative police work.
The thieves spent last winter and early spring preying on careless customers who left bags and designer goods unattended in the store and parkingâ lot.
The 76th Precinct cops responded to the sęĶŊpree by beefing up their presence at the store and expanding a successful program called âOperation Spot It to Secure It,â cops said at a recðŧent 76th precinct community-council meeting.
Officers snapped pictures of valuable items left behind in the vehicles and mailed letters to the owners asking them to secure their propertðy.
Community-affairs cops, a crime-prevention officer, and an auxiliary officer worked in tandem in 10 operations. Theð cops found iPhones and iPads in plain sight in the cars â and one even had a flat-screen TV. Another driver left a Louis Vuitton bag near the window.
Several drivers also left theðŽir keys in the ignition.
The extra police presence at IKEA has brought crime down to virtually zero at the location, which averages 2 million customers a month, cops said at the meetð§ing.
The same program successfully brought down burglaries tð o record lows in Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill this yeaðr.
Cops there also sent letters to residents in brownstones where doors were left âĪunlocked and open, often with packages in hallways.
More than 35 of these operations have been done ð°this year, and 86 letters have been sent out to drivðđers.
âThis program works,â said Inspecðtor Jeffrey Schiff at the meeting. âWeâve been out there, weâve been looking, and itâs been vðžery successful.â
IKEâA has also been working closely with the NYPD, að§nd plans to install more security cameras in its showrooms and add security guards.
It also plans to work with the NYPD to have customers register their cellphones with âthe police wðhile standing on shopping lines.