Nuisance Car Alarm Strikes Again

The same dark blue Acura’s (New York FPX 5553) car alarm that went off for at least seven hours last Sunday was sounding off again this past Saturday morning at 8am, on E 17th Street, just around the corner from where it’d been parked on Cortelyou Road on Sunday. A passerby or even a cat running in front of the car was enough to reactivate this overly attuned nuisance noisemaker again and again.

It is actually against the city’s noise code to have a car alarm that does not deactivate within three minutes and that can be triggered through means other than direct physical contact. Fines can range from $280 for a first offense to $840 for a third.

It was 10pm last Sunday when I called 311 to complain about this car. It had been going since at least 3pm. I was called by the precinct, who told me that there had been many calls and that when police arrived the alarm was no longer going off. I was instructed to call 911 with the license plate number and be present on the scene when police arrived. I did so Saturday morning, but the police never came. The owner did however show up and drive the car away.

If this car goes off on your block, call 911 and be prepared to provide the description and license plate number. Let us know how it goes.