(Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)
July 29, 2020, By Michael Dorgan
Vehicle thefts are on the rise in northern Queens and drivers are making it easy for criminals.
The number of reported vehicle thefts in the eight precincts that make up Queens North has jumped by 32 percent this year, according to official police data. Queens North consists of the 104th, 108th 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, and 114th and 115th precincts.
There were 513 cases of Grand Larceny Auto reported in Queens North from Jan. 1 through July 19, compared to 388 for the same period last year, according to NYPD data. GLA is the theft of a vehicle, including cars, motorcycles and trucks.
NYPD
The statistics match a citywide spike in vehicle thefts. For example, there were 3,988 cases of GLA reported in the city from Jan. 1 through July 19 compared to 2,494 for the same period last year, according to NYPD data.
A large portion of car thefts across the city, 40 percent, occurred after drivers left their keys in the ignition or left their cars running, according to a tweet put out by the 108th precinct Monday.
There have been 3,231 car thefts this year and an extraordinary 1,288 (40%) of them were taken because the keys were in the vehicle or the vehicle was left running.
In the past 28 days we have had 93 vehs stolen in @NYPDQueensNorth of which 30 involved keys left in the veh’s. pic.twitter.com/986LhVGjuG
— NYPD 108th Precinct (@NYPD108Pct) July 27, 2020
The 108th precinct said that 93 vehicles were stolen in Queens North in the past month, 30 of which occurred after drivers left keys in their cars.
Cops are appealing to drivers to be vigilant and take precautions when they leave their vehicles unattended. The NYPD has asked drivers to make sure that they turn off their vehicle’s engine, remove the keys and make sure that all doors are locked.
Lock your vehicle doors and keep what’s yours. #vehicletheftprevention pic.twitter.com/Chc62vdTJ9
— NYPD 111th Precinct (@NYPD111Pct) July 28, 2020
The increase in vehicle thefts mirrors burglary trends in Queens North which are up 42.5 percent this year, according to NYPD data.
There were 928 burglaries reported in the district from Jan. 1 through July 19 compared to 651 for the same period last year.
Felony assaults are up by 3.6 percent for the same period this year in Queens North while robberies are up by 6.7 percent. There have been 18 murders this year compared to 17 for the same period last year.
However, rape cases for the district are down by 35.7 percent while grand larceny is down by 17.5 percent for the year.
(Crime Stats, NYPD)
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19 Comments
who are these people leaving their keys in their cars???
Welcome to DeBlasioVille
Unemployment is at an all time high and basic needs such as food shelter and healthcare has sky rocketed. What did you think was going to happen. People are depressed and angry. Protesting just for the sake of letting out frustration continues. Crime is often a cry for help.
And I don’t know how an adult behaves.
This is partly the results of the partying crowd coming from the suburbs and leaving their running cars unattended. This is Queens, NYC not some quiet safe town.
I know I have been MIA recently but
I found a shiny penny and I got distracted so sorry about that;
Hi Comrades,
Please stop being so hard on our wonderful criminals who contribute so much to our city. I need their votes and the votes of people who love to coddle them.
Murder, Rape, GTA, Violence of all sorts, break ins, Home Invasions, you name it, we got it all and please don’t forget to thank your local politicians for helping making it all happen, ok so there may be one or two council members ie Bob Holden who are pro cop and anti criminal but forget about them.
Now, to all you honest hard working folks who disagree with me, Please work even harder cause we need the tax dollars to cover all the damages etc, etc, etc.
Bye for Now,
Your’s in Crime and Slime,
City Council Lawlessness Division
Well there are less cabs on the street and people need a way to get to work. Many people are going to bed hungry and are faced with difficult choices during this pandemic.
Hmm- what part of a car is eatable?
you think these criminals are stealing cars because they need to get to work? wow.
No one’s driving to work lol
My bike was stolen last week.
We all have the mayor and city council to thank for this. Sadly, I suspect these crime figures will continue to rise. I’ve also seen a tremendous decline in the quality of life in NYC which includes graffiti, garbage on the streets, homeless etc. This will continue to force people to leave New York.
maybe prison & Bail reform?
Nothing has changed for the better since Trump. Unemployment and poverty is at an all-time high. Very poor and shameful response to covid.
Every car should have GPS and remote disable by now, while insurance companies also make billions.
Can anyone make compstat records in a chart to compare year to year?
This city won’t bounce back from this and the sh*t politicians – they dont ride the subways they have sided with the wrong crowd in favor of the criminals recividist who revolved through Rikers now committing all the crimes, social unrest, BLM should go after the crooked politicians, the so called progressives call them out the so called progressives, just because the paint BLM murals does not make true socialists! Take the protests to them, over gracie’s mansion, Park Slope, sunnyside gardens, take the protest directly to them…
Thats why i still drive a 1996 ford escort station wagon, you can steal it …but it has the original cassette player in it….
You may not be safe!
I had a 25 year old Toyota with rust and dents. It didn’t pass inspection because you could not align the headlights as the supports were rusted out. So I bought a fender, never fixed the other massive rust and dents. I parked it on the street. GONE the next morning. Stolen for that $2000 fender. The radio didn’t work. But. Damn, when you put the key in and turned it…it started!
First DOT, REBNY, and politicians were stealing our hard sought after parking spaces. Now they’ve graduated to GTA? Will they stop at nothing to force us to get rid of our cars?? LOL