Graffiti vandals steal car from Monsey gas station

By ROB RYSER
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 15, 2007)
MONSEY - Police are looking for graffiti vandals who broke into a gas station early yesterday morning, stealing keys to cars being repaired, taking one car on a ride and spray painting others.

The stolen car, a black Volkswagen Jetta, was discovered abandoned along with a spent can of spray paint at the A&B Fish Market on Route 59, police said.

At that store and nearby Monsey Kosher, a handful of parked vans also were vandalized with graffiti, police said.

Both the car and the paint can were being analyzed yesterday morning, police said.

The graffiti tags also were being studied to see whether they matched past vandalism, Ramapo police Sgt. Sal Matos said.

An officer on patrol saw a group of young men moving quickly about 3:20 a.m. yesterday near the Citgo service station known as Reliable Auto Care at 14 Main St.

When he approached, they ran.

"They disappeared like ghosts," Matos said.

The officer discovered a broken window. Gas station supplies were spilled onto the floor and onto the ground outside of the building.

Several of the cars awaiting repairs were marred with black and red paint.

The Jetta was impounded as part of the investigation.