Alarming 191% Surge in Car Thefts Since 2019

by Mindy Cohn

According to new NYPD data, auto thefts in New York City have surged by 191% since 2019 despite the Mayor's claim made Wednesday that "crime is down and that "New York City remains the safest big city in America."

According to the year-end review of crime statistics, while only 5,438 vehicles were stolen in 2019, an alarming total of 15,802 vehicles were stolen throughout New York City in 2023, 15% more than in 2022. Car thefts have the dubious distinction of having the biggest upsurge from all the major crime categories in New York City.

While overall crime across New York City dropped by 0.03% in 2023 from the previous year, as reported by BoroPark24 here, overall crime rates are still up more than 31% compared to 2019.

"These numbers tell us that we have turned the corner of crime in our city," Adams stated Wednesday while sharing the latest data. "Crime is down, jobs are up, tourism is booming" - presumably just so long as you leave the driving to someone else or take public transportation.