NEW YORK — Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has helped New Yorkers recover 231 stolen vehicles valued at more than $7.3 million in 2022.
In addition, the DMV recovered 81 stolen vehicle parts in New York, worth $67,223.
“Since the day I took office, the safety of New Yorkers has been my number one priority,” said Governor Hochul. “My administration is committed to tracking and recovering stolen vehicles and bringing justice to innocent New Yorkers who are victims of these crimes.”
The numbers show a slight increase in recovery funds, after the DMV recovered 194 vehicles and 77 parts with a total value of $5.2 million in 2021.
According to the governor’s office, Honda vehicles were the most wanted in 2022 with 76 of them recovered worth $2,009,264. Second, the Jeep incidents involved 23 vehicles worth $1,034,058. Dodge and Toyota vehicles tied for third with 15 incidents each. Damage for Dodge totaled $631,897 while damage for Toyota was valued at $413,250.
You can view a full list of repossessed vehicles in 2022 throughout New York State here.
“Our investigators work hard to protect New Yorkers, not only their property but also their identities,” said New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark JF Schroeder. “The recovery of stolen vehicles and parts is just part of the essential work they do day in and day out. In addition to being vigilant once you own a vehicle, we always advise consumers to exercise caution when purchasing a salvage vehicle or one that may been robbed or subjected to flooding”.
Drivers should remember to lock their vehicle when they park and take their key or fob with them. For added security, vehicle owners can use visible or audible devices such as alarms, brakes or wheel locks, or install a vehicle immobilizer such as fuse switches or ignition and fuel deactivators.
If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police and your auto insurance company as soon as possible. Police will enter the information into national and state auto theft computer registries. The theft will be noted on your vehicle’s title record to help prevent someone from selling the vehicle or applying for a title.
DMV offers additional guidance on stolen and recovered vehicles on its website, and the agency also provides a link that allows customers to determine if a car it was flooded or stolen.
