NYC Cracks Down on Illegal Vehicles in the City

(LibertyInsider.org) – Mayor Eric Adams of New York joined Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban and NYPD Patrol Chief John Chell on June 5 at Staten Island’s Fresh Kills landfill for an announcement and an unusual event. The city crushed more than 200 of the nearly 42,000 illegal scooters and mopeds it had seized during the mayor’s 30-month administration as the city cracks down on illegal vehicles.

Adams’ office issued a release on Wednesday, June 5, highlighting the NYPD’s seizure of 18,430 illegal two-wheeled vehicles in 2023, reflecting a 128% increase from the previous year. So far this year, authorities have confiscated 13,000 unregistered or otherwise illegal mopeds, scooters, ATVs, and motorcycles.

NYC crushes over 200 seized mopeds and scooters amid crackdown on illegal vehicles https://t.co/5Sa8OuAtSM

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 6, 2024

Adams announced enhanced “summer enforcement” at the event. He pointed out that the drivers of unregistered vehicles threatened citizens with reckless driving and “an exponential increase in criminals using them” to commit snatch-and-go crimes. Adams hoped the event would send a clear message to NYC drivers: “if you drive an illegal vehicle, you will face the consequences — and so will your vehicle.”

Regarding public safety, Adams told those at the event his administration was “crushing it.” Moreover, overall crime in New York dropped in May compared to the same month last year, but two categories, robberies and felony assaults, showed increases of 6.3% and 5.1% over May 2023.

Police have noted a marked increase in the use of mopeds and scooters in crimes like purse or bag snatchings, chain and jewelry thefts, and even shoplifting.

The NYPD decided to redeploy Community Response Team (CRT) officers to remove illegal vehicles from the streets. The focus on two-wheel vehicles is part of a greater initiative that Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul announced in March. They wanted to remove “ghost cars,” or vehicles they called virtually untraceable because of forged or altered license plates.

The governor, Mayor Adams, Commissioner Caban, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Chair Janno Lieber, and New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda joined together to implement a multi-agency task force to crack down on those dodging tolls, violating traffic laws, and hiding stolen vehicles.