Five vehicles belonging to Giants football players were burglarized and one was stolen from a parking lot at the Timex Performance Center in East Rutherford, N.J., while the team was in San Francisco over the weekend, NBC 4 New York has learned.
The cars were targeted between 4 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. Sunday in a parking area controlled by a private security firm contracted by the Giants, according to state police spokesman Sgt. Brian Polite.
The car that was stolen belonged to defensive tackle Marvin Austin, a law enforcement source said.
When they're out of town during away games, Giants team members typically leave their parked cars in the area, secured by an iron gate and monitored by security cameras.
One player, offensive tackle James Brewer, tweeted Sunday night, "Only in Jersey can someone be heartless enough to break into my car while we are in Cali making fans proud."
Team officials would confirm the names of the players whose cars were reportedly broken into.
The car doors were unlocked, Polite said.
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The stolen vehicle was a 1996 Chevy Caprice. Souped-up versions of the vehicle are popular with sports stars, Polite said.
The thief or thieves entered the lot by breaking the lock on the gate, according to Polite.
"I think we have outstanding security," said Giants tight end Bear Pascoe. "I think it's just something that happened and it is what it is."
The Giants won Sunday's game against the 49ers in a decisive 26-3 victory.
"It's too bad. They had a good game, and then to come back to stolen cars," said Donna George of Hasbrouck Heights.
Bill Ebbinghousen of Wood Ridge thought the players needed better security at their lot.
"It's obviously not protecting them well enough," he said.
Giants wide receiver Domenik Hixon said he was donfident police would eventually catch those responsible.
"The police are going to take care of it and do what they have to do," Hixon
