Police will respond to a recent spike in car thefts by deploying a vehicle dedicated to searching for the license plates of stolen cars in each of the city’s 77 precincts, officials said on Wednesday.
Grand larceny auto is up 19% this year across the five boroughs, police said. According to NYPD data, there have been 10,632 car thefts so far in 2023.
Mayor Eric Adams said the vehicles “will be patrolling 24/7.”
The upward trend is fueled in part by a national TikTok trend daring people to hotwire Hyundais and Kias with a USB cord and screwdriver.
Nearly 2,000 Kias and Hyundais were stolen this year, up from just 300 last year, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters on Wednesday.
“It may sound simple,” Adams said. “But don’t forget to lock your door.”
Roughly 85% of stolen vehicles are recovered by police in the borough where they were stolen, Chell said. Adams said that 88% of those arrested for the crimes are under the age of 25.
“A joyride does not bring joy when you have a permanent criminal record,” he said.
