July 12 2016
Peter – This might not get to you before you head out for vacation, but I just passed the stretch of 13th Street that we talked about earlier, with all the abandoned cars. A few new strange twists since the last time I passed: The particular car that I reported to 311 subsequently had its license plate changed from NJ to PA, and I noticed that plate was for a “TRUCK”, even though this vehicle is obviously not a truck. Well today I noticed that the PA Truck plate is gone. The car now has no license plates at all. We talked about a busted up VW with a FL plate, that car now has a traffic ticket stuck under its windshield wiper blade. Maybe this indicates that the car is on law enforcement’s radar and will be removed soon. Who knows. There is also a whole new car (a VW mini wagon) with no plates. It looks pretty ramshackle and abandoned. Last but not least an SUV that looks abandoned to me and which had been on the same spot since at least October has been moved to the other side of the street.

There are signs around claiming that the area is under 24 hour video surveillance. I assume those signs and cameras are the property of Ocasa. No idea if their surveillance would reveal anything or if they’d be willing to share. I also noticed a security guard who I think works for the apartment buildings. Maybe he’s seen some things.

Just thought I’d share, wanted to write this while it was fresh in my mind. Have a great vacation. -mt

July 14 2016
More intrigue at the street of abandoned cars. The busted up VW that was ticketed on Sunday today had no ticket on its windshield. Its trunk was open and two men were taking stuff out of it. The only words I caught was when one of them said to the other “It’s another piece of shit.” I got the impression through body language that he was referring to the new VW mini-wagon across the street but that is just a hunch. As I approached I saw an orange-colored car peeling away from the scene, backing out from 13th Street onto 34th Avenue and screeching away. It looked like the car that I thought someone might be living in but it had NY plates, whereas the aforementioned car had out of state (Tennessee?) plates. I would need another look at the car to compare it though, I only caught a brief glimpse. it did, however, appear to be involved with the men who were working on the smashed up VW. I circled around to 12th Street, intending to go back to 34th Avenue and cross the street. From there I would try and get a photo of the people, if they were still there (it’s a fairly long walk around that block, at least it seems like it when you’re chasing after something like this). I crossed 34th Ave to the Ravenswood side and found a spot where I could hide behind a car, but I noticed that the car was occupied by someone in the driver seat. He seemed to be watching the men working on the VW but that, again, is something of a hunch. He must have had some reason to be sitting there, and whatever it was I decided not to stop and conspicuously take a photograph of the men, lest I draw the unwanted attention of this person whose potential involvement in the affair could mean trouble for me. I took a few shots while continuing to walk forward, thinking this would disguise my actions from the potential eyes of the gentleman in the car parked nearby. I did manage to get one reasonably clear shot of the two men, and in that photo I later noticed a third man who seemed to be involved as well. They are checking smart phones for something. That’s all I have today. Strange how activity seems to occur as I pass. The men were dark skinned and I thought I heard an accent but it was only a few words that he spoke.

July 16
Think it’s making sense. The dude who drives the orange Chevrolet is kind of the ringleader. He was there by himself yesterday jumpstarting the new VW mini-wagon. Its engine was running as I passed by, and when I passed by again later the car was gone. Both cars were gone. Someone else was also pillaging that other car for parts, the car that was a few spots down from 33rd Avenue. That car is now gone. It looked newer than the other.

The pylons were gone but the busted up VW is still present, with FL plate on the back.

GTC 4079 is the NY license plate # for the ringleader. That’s the car that peeled out of 13th street on Tuesday.

The other car that was being dismantled was license plate AUB 1894. I did not see who was doing that dismantling.