New city rule will require attendants at parking lots

An "angry and frustrated" St. Louis mayor Francis Slay is responding to last weekend's rash of car break-ins with proposed new rules for the owners of downtown lots.

Vandals broke into at least 60 cars in the downtown St. Louis area Friday night, stealing purses and GPS units. Police say there were no attendants at some of the lots to report the crimes. And Slay wants that to stop.

The rule - which will be drafted by city counselor Patricia Hageman and issued by the building division - will require the following:

• A parking lot must have an attendant present.
• Access to parking lots must be restricted when the lots aren't operational.
• The rule takes effect 30 days after it's issued.
• Failure to follow the rule could get a lot shut down.

Police officers from the 4th District and the department's Problem Properties Unit will train lot operators to spot and report trouble.  The Problem Properties Unit will also meet with 100 individual lot owners to address specific issues on their properties.