NEW YORK — A series of Staten Island carjackings are using what police say is a simple technique to target their loot.
Groups of thieves make their way through the district to steal cars and all stolen cars start the same way.
Surveillance footage shows a thief jumping into Rob Romeo’s car parked right in his driveway. When Romeo got to the front door, the thief was already gone.
“A stranger gets into your car in broad daylight, I have a wife and kids and you’re worried about her safety and yours,” Romeo said.
His story is not unique to Staten Island.
“We’re seeing an increase in grand theft and stolen cars that have really been plaguing Staten Island,” Chief Joseph Gulotta said. Car thieves, he says, target specific makes and models: BMW, Hyundai and Honda.
The increase in muggings is apparently due to thieves stealing unlocked cars with the key fob inside.
“We are seeing some local perpetrators, but also perpetrators coming from New Jersey,” Gulotta said.
The New York Police Department is now working with the New Jersey police to stop the robberies.
“What we’re seeing is a car being stolen in New Jersey, being brought here, and then looking for other cars to steal,” the chief said.
In Romeo’s case, his family didn’t leave the key chain in the car, but they forgot to lock it, a simple mistake they won’t make again.
Driving through neighborhoods, broadcasting the message over loudspeakers, Detective Tom Kelly is part of the team reminding neighbors to lock their doors. Kelly also claims to wear an air tag.
“You can locate it immediately on your phone, it contacts the police, tells us where it is, and more often than not, we can’t get those cars back,” Kelly said.
Police advise drivers using an AirTag not to leave it out in the open where anyone can see it; make sure you hide it.
2023-07-13 01:44:05
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