CBS2 Exclusive: Floral Park Residents Complain About Teens Congregating In Tunnel
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Long Island residents say a teen hangout in Floral Park has gotten so dangerous, they're afraid to leave their homes.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, there have already been more than 50 complaints.
Christopher Budjunski and his family are among the Floral Park residents who love their village. But he and others worry about what goes on in a particular tunnel after hours when teens hop over the fence and sneak into the secluded sump area to drink and smoke as LIRR trains pass overhead.
"If what they are doing is illegal or bad or whatever it is, it's going to lead to poor choices that could also lead to deadly consequences," he told McLogan.
Vanessa Giovanni and others who say they have seen teens with baseball bats and hammers petitioned Village Hall to crack down on quality of life offenses.
"They can be disruptive, loud, very disrespectful," she said. "There have been some issues that have escalated recently."
A statue of Mary was removed outside one home.
"It was picked up and thrown and it was in a million pieces on the road. They never catch them," homeowner Dolores Whitehead said.
"My neighbor over here has been threatened by some of the kids," said fellow homeowner James O'Brein.
Floral Park Police Commissioner Stephen McAllister said 66 tunnel incidents have been reported in the past decade, but he hasn't seen a recent spike.
"This tunnel that we speak about is a crossroads between the north and south to get to the recreation center," he told McLogan.
Police patrol all day and night in the village and say they try to lock the gates by 10 p.m.
"Some people might refute that, but it does. It gets closed on both sides," McAllister said.
The mayor and village police commissioner say they will work with the residents to evaluate the problems and develop a plan to address them.
Residents say teenagers have always congregated near the tunnel, but families never felt fear or intimidation until recently.
