NEW YORK, NY – Anti-police sentiment, defunding police and handcuffing New York City’s finest under the administration of former New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has led to a soaring rate of stolen vehicles in the city.
Mayor Eric Adams says he has a plant to stop it and that means more cops and more resources assigned to the problem.
Adams announced an extensive new strategy aimed at curbing the surge in auto thefts across New York City’s five boroughs. Despite a general decline in major crimes, grand larceny auto (GLA) has increased by about 19 percent through August. The rise is largely attributed to the theft of specific Kia and Hyundai models.
Mayor Adams’ new plan incorporates diverse strategies such as enforcement measures, public and private sector partnerships, and educational outreach. The Mayor’s Office of Public Safety, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and New York City Small Business Services (SBS) will collaborate on these efforts.
“Today, we are announcing bold action that takes a 360-degree approach to combatting car thefts in New York City,” Mayor Adams said. He emphasized that the plan aims to tackle the issue from multiple fronts, including enforcement, education, and partnerships.
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III added, “We are coming at this issue from both sides – education and enforcement – so that no New Yorker has to suffer the consequences of having their vehicle stolen.”
To enhance the police response to auto thefts, each NYPD precinct will have a dedicated GLA radio motor patrol car equipped with two mobile license plate readers. These patrol cars will be on duty 24/7 and work closely with existing detective squads in each precinct. The NYPD has also designated a GLA coordinator within its Crime Analysis Unit to refine data collection related to stolen vehicles and arrests.
The plan entails the use of advanced technologies and strategies, such as real-time notifications to the NYPD’s interconnected license plate readers’ alert system following a confirmed report of vehicle theft. Officers will also receive specialized training to ensure proper charges are filed against arrestees.
The NYPD will deploy additional personnel to its Auto Crime Unit, focusing on intelligence-based policing to identify and counter trends in vehicle-related crimes. The effort aims to curtail the number of violent crimes that are facilitated through the use of stolen vehicles. The new initiatives will improve intelligence sharing across all five boroughs, allowing the NYPD to better identify patterns and formulate timely deployment plans to combat auto theft effectively.