A recently released video of thieves stealing a number of luxury cars and breaking into homes is the latest chapter of a significant increase in crime in New York City over the last three years. The incidents also come after New York revised its bail policy, which conservatives and some Democrats blame in part for the current situation.
Law enforcement officials described how a group of thieves stole almost ten cars and broke into 13 homes this summer. According to the NYPD, the thieves stole various makes, including Audi, BMW, Range Rover, Mercedes Benz, Genesis and Porsche.
They also made off with a number of valuable items, including jewelry and cash.
So far, the group is still on the loose.
The NYPD released video of the suspects, whose last alleged robbery occurred early last month. Three of the vehicles have since been recovered by police.
New York City has also seen a wider increase in car thefts, similar to that of other major cities across the country. New York and Chicago recently announced that their cities would be suing Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai related to a security issue with their vehicles.
New York accused the automakers of producing cars that “opened the floodgates to vehicle theft, crime sprees, reckless driving and public harm.” The city has seen a more than five-fold increase in the number of Kias and Hyundais stolen earlier this year.
A video posted on social media showed the relative ease of stealing such vehicles, leading to a large spike in thefts.
Or you could start putting car thieves in prison. #Nitwit https://t.co/HDTUsWyBsA
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 27, 2023
The automakers are offering a software upgrade to prevent further thefts.
Last month, a suspect rammed a stolen vehicle into a crowd of people in Manhattan and was detained by a group of civilians. At least ten people were injured in the incident.
New York has attempted to shift the bail reform policy several times since it was enacted. Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a new law that allowed judges to hold some suspects following an alleged crime.
