Car thefts jump nearly 19% in NYC this year — as cops blame TikTok challenge

[Kamaji]

Car thefts jump nearly 19% in NYC this year — as cops blame TikTok challenge

By Craig McCarthy, Haley Brown and Steve Janoski
Published Sep. 6, 2023

Car thefts have surged nearly 19% this year – a continuing trend that’s being revved up by a viral TikTok challenge encouraging kids to hijack Kia and Hyundai vehicles for joyrides, police officials said Wednesday.

“We have seen double-digit increases — it’s simply not acceptable,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban said during a news conference after the NYPD released new statistics showing there were 24% more grand larceny auto reports this August compared to the same month in 2022.

To fight the epidemic, the city will equip certain police cruisers in every precinct with license plate readers that will help cops spot stolen cars, Caban and Mayor Eric Adams announced.

The move, Adams said, will give the NYPD “great tools to be used to identify stolen vehicles that are on the road.”

Cops are also in line for more training to stop the surging car thefts, Caban said.

“There are some who think they can just steal a car in the city and get away with it, well, they are sadly mistaken,” the commissioner said.

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Source:  https://nypost.com/2023/09/06/car-thefts-jump-nearly-19-in-nyc-this-year-tiktok-blamed/