TriBeCa Penthouses Prove Easy Prey for Manhattan Burglar

TriBeCa, the super-wealthy Manhattan enclave sprinkled with movie stars, has attracted a daring criminal who exploits the roof gardens of its converted industrial and distinctive cast-iron buildings to make off with jewelry and electronics, sometimes with residents still at home.

A man with climbing skills has been preying on penthouse-dwellers, letting himself in through unlocked terrace doors and windows, according to the New York Police Department. The incidents, coming at a time of historic lows in city crime, have shaken some inhabitants of TriBeCa, which has been home to celebrities such as Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow and Justin Timberlake, according to Zillow.com. The neighborhood is the site of the TriBeCa Film Festival, co-founded by actor Robert De Niro, who is also one of the area’s best-known property developers.