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City Park ramps up security after car break-ins

The vandals stole Bourgeois's purse and an expensive pair of sunglasses. She said there was broken glass everywhere in her vehicle.

NEW ORLEANS — Piles of broken glass littered the parking lot outside City Park's Arbor Room near Popp Fountain after a group of vandals broke into 19 vehicles during a wedding reception there Saturday night.

Jennifer Bourgeois said the break-ins ruined a good time with her family and made the bride and groom feel sad on a night they should have been celebrating.

"Our window was busted," Bourgeois said. "It was our back passenger side window in the back seat was busted open and they literally went through every single thing in our car."

The vandals stole Bourgeois's purse and an expensive pair of sunglasses.
She said there was broken glass everywhere in her vehicle.

"I had my kids with me and my youngest started crying," Bourgeois said. "He was scared and upset."

City Park Chief Operating Officer Rob DiViney admits a citywide problem with car burglaries in New Orleans has now become a City Park problem.

"We have ramped up our security here in the park and at facilities where we've had additional security, these kids have found a way to circumvent that security and break into the vehicles," DiViney said. "City Park is becoming a victim like the rest of the city."

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RELATED: Car break-ins are surging in New Orleans

Monday night, two security guards were on duty at the park's tennis courts.
But, that didn't stop vandals from burglarizing a car in the parking lot there.

In recent weeks, vandals have also hit dozens of vehicles at City Park's Pan Am Stadium, soccer fields and the golf course parking lot in board daylight.

"The park doesn't have the finances to put an officer at every soccer field rental or a pickup game, but we're being forced to do that," DiViney said.

Bourgeois who lives in Terrebonne Parish said City Park needs to step up security even though she's not sure her family will be back anytime soon.

"That makes me not want to go to another New Orleans wedding, ever again," Bourgeois said.

City Park's Rob DiViney said when it comes to car break-ins, it's all bad, whether in City Park, Lakeview or New Orleans East.

He hopes the city finds a way to solve the problem.

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