Local shop owners in Westchester Square complained Wednesday about NYPD parking enforcement agents breaking their own rules and leaving their vehicles in metered spaces past the allotted time.

Merchants like John Kaltsas, who owns The Square Flower Shop, says the police officers frequently clog parking spaces along the streets for hours or days at a time, sometimes leaving their vehicles in the same spots over the weekend. The result, he says, is lost business, because his customers can?t find parking spaces.

?They occupy the spaces, the consumers don't buy,? Kaltsas says. ?And if [the customers] do [come in], they'll double park, get a big ticket and disappear.?

According to the store owners in the area, the community board has told them it will step in to try and negotiate with the police department about designating spots for their vehicles. The merchants say they wish the police officers would follow their own parking rules.

?Park your cars for one or two hours, then take it away like everybody else,? Kaltsas says. ?If they're illegal, let them get tickets like we do.?

The NYPD was reached for comment, but has yet to issue a statement about the topic.