Governor Kathy Hochul announced a series of targeted actions to combat the high number of car thefts, particularly of certain Kia and Hyundai model vehicles, in counties across New York State called the Comprehensive Auto Theft Reduction Strategy, CARS.
Article continues below
The Governor made the announcement with elected officials, local law enforcement, and state Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder at the Public Safety Building in the city of Rochester.
As violent crime continues to fall statewide, these actions will provide significant support to reduce car thefts in Monroe, Erie, Niagara, and other counties that continue to experience this problem and streamline support for local law enforcement.
These actions include fast tracking $50 million for law enforcement technology and equipment, $5 million to enhance youth justice alternatives and diversion programming for teenagers and young adults, directing the State Police and Division of Criminal Justice Services to implement new enforcement efforts, supporting local district attorneys in the prosecution of car thefts and other crimes, and the launch of a public engagement campaign targeting vulnerable car owners.
In the first seven months of 2023, car theft in Monroe County increased 345 percent, which is the largest increase in the nation, and in Erie County, 213 percent, when compared to the same timeframe last year.
These two counties account for approximately two thirds of car thefts outside of New York City, with most of them occurring in the cities of Rochester (+829 percent) and Buffalo (+488 percent).
By comparison, vehicle thefts were down 11 percent in the Capital Region and Suffolk County; 24 percent in the Southern Tier and Hudson Valley; and more than 50 percent in the North Country and Mohawk Valley.
In New York City, car thefts increased 20 percent with the Bronx (+37 percent) and Northern Queens (+45 percent) driving that spike. In July 2023, there were 1,499 motor vehicle thefts in New York City, with half of them occurring in these two boroughs.
Car thefts have reportedly been fueled by viral videos posted to social media, like TikTok, showing young people how to steal certain vehicle models, but also due to persistent disruptions that the pandemic created for criminal justice response and prevention efforts.
Law enforcement agencies in communities experiencing the greatest increases report that teenagers and young adults ranging from 13 to 24 are most often arrested in connection with these thefts.
These individuals frequently are associated with an organized group or crew. This plan will focus on strategies targeting teenagers and young adults who are at risk of, or interacting with, the police and the criminal justice system.
To address this rise in youth involved property crime, Governor Hochul is dedicating up to $5 million to enhance youth justice alternatives and diversion programs and services.
Funding will be prioritized for the counties and adjacent counties that have reported increases in young people involved in motor vehicle theft and other property crime, such as Erie, Monroe, and Niagara.
This investment will be paired with dedicated technical assistance from DCJS and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to help build the capacity of local government and community based organizations to intervene in the lives of these young people, change their thinking and behavior, and promote positive development.
The New York State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will increase the support they provide to local law enforcement agencies to address motor vehicle thefts throughout New York State.
The State Police also will deploy Community Stabilization Units to assist with enforcement and investigative efforts in Buffalo and Erie County, and Rochester and Monroe County and continue providing city and county agencies with highway and aerial support.
In addition, DCJS Crime Analysis Center Network and New York State Intelligence Center (NYSIC), operated by the State Police, will continue to integrate and share state of the art mapping and other investigative technologies with local partners.
Currently, the state supported Crime Analysis Centers in Erie, Monroe, and Niagara counties have dedicated crime analysts and deployed specific software to track, map, and analyze motor vehicle thefts to identify patterns and suspects to aid in enforcement.
A new dashboard – MVTRAC (Motor Vehicle Theft, Recovery and Collaboration) will be deployed to all 11 centers in the network and NYSIC. The dashboard will allow analysts and law enforcement personnel to use local and state data to visualize and connect theft locations, recovery locations, and suspect information.
Governor Hochul is launching a public engagement campaign targeting owners of Kia and Hyundai vehicles most susceptible to theft, encouraging them to take precautions and to install anti theft measures. ■