Car crime down across the city

A small area of East Boston is the second most dangerous place in the city to park your car, according to the Boston Herald. The area starts at the intersection of Meridian and Maverick Streets at Maverick Square and then moves toward the waterfront and up Meridian through Shore Plaza. In the past few years, the story says, 116 incidents of car theft and vandalism have been reported.

The big picture shows, according to police figures, that car crimes dropped 38% citywide between 2004 and 2007, though you'd never be able to tell that by scanning the Herald's excited headlines. Overall Eastie is not in the top three of neighborhoods with the most car crime, but the story doesn't have a comprehensive list. Roxbury is first, then the area comprising the Back Bay, the Fenway and the South End, with Dorchester rounding out the leaderboard.