In August, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the convictions of six members of a crew responsible for over 200 burglaries of car dealerships located in the Lower Hudson Valley, New York City, and on Long Island.
New York Attorney General’s office
Car thefts are accelerating at an alarming pace in the Big Apple.
Through Nov. 26, 14,381 vehicles have been ripped off in New York City — 17% more than the 12,262 in the same period last year, NYPD data show.
Thieves are having a grand theft auto time in The Bronx, where 4,694 vehicles have been boosted compared to 3,566 in 2022, a 34% surge.
There have been 4,092 vehicles stolen in Queens this year, compared to 3,204 in 2022, a 28% hike.
Brooklyn (3,386, up from 3,320) and Manhattan (1,798, up from 1,768) both saw a 2% uptick.
Staten Island was the only borough that saw improvement, with a 10% drop (411, down from 454).
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon attributed the decline to “a combination of targeted enforcement in conjunction with regional police agencies led by our new Borough Commander, the addition of license plate readers on the Goethals Bridge, real courtroom consequences for car thieves, and robust public awareness effort.”
In the fall, police brass cited thefts were being revved up by a viral TikTok challenge encouraging kids to hijack Kia and Hyundai vehicles for joyrides.
“The crime and punishment aren’t equal,” retired NYPD Detective Thomas Burke, who worked in the Auto Crime unit for decades. “I can steal a car and basically get out [of jail] and steal another one and basically get out again. Grand larceny auto is a desk appearance ticket,” Burke said.
Cops made a dent in the auto trend in August, when a Bronx car-theft crew behind a major $3 million crime ring was busted after members were caught flashing wads of cash and stolen vehicles on social media, authorities said.
Additional reporting by Tina Moore
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