Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday introduced the second Massive Apple crackdown on paper license plates and so-called “ghost automobiles” in as a few years, charging that phony tags are utilized by scofflaws who commit different crimes.
“Once you see individuals utilizing these paper plates, many instances they’re doing one thing unlawful. There’s a correlation between the unlawful [operation] of a automobile and never solely possession of a gun, possession of narcotics, possession of a suspended license,” Adams instructed reporters in Queens.
Utilizing bogus paper plates — a tactic typically employed to attempt to keep away from tolls or being tracked down — is a misdemeanor, and those that achieve this danger being slapped with a effective of between $65 and $200 and being towed, a police official mentioned.
Talking Tuesday afternoon on the Springfield Gardens Auto Pound, NYPD Transit Chief Kim Royster mentioned arrests involving short-term paper plates rose to three,568 — a 300% enhance in comparison with the 893 arrests in 2016. 1 / 4 of the 5,500 ghost automobiles towed by the NYPD final yr and greater than 30% of the 1,646 such automobiles had been by no means claimed, in response to Royster, who cited NYPD information.
“We heard of ghost weapons. Now we’re speaking about ghost automobiles. Ghost weapons can’t be traced and ghost automobiles can’t be traced,” defined Adams, a former transit cop. “We all know that if we don’t get them off the streets, identical to ghost weapons, they turn into a weapon of dying for harmless New Yorkers. So we’re combating … the rise in ghost automobiles that may’t be traced.”
The mayor vowed that cops are being directed “to not drive by these automobiles however to cease them, conduct an investigation, decide if a criminal offense has taken place and take motion.
He declared, “No extra ignoring these automobiles on our street.”
The newly touted efforts — carried out by the police division and metropolis sheriffs — come after native regulation enforcement have launched related ones of late.
In June 2021, the NYPD unveiled a clampdown on drivers who use fraudulent license plates, days after MTA cops caught three drivers in a half hour who made unsuccessful makes an attempt to evade the toll on the RFK Bridge through the use of faux tags.
In August, sheriffs seized dozens of automobiles with bogus paper ones. Sheriff deputies in Queens impounded greater than 50 automobiles the subsequent month.
Additionally final yr, the “Used Automobile King of New York” that cops suspected was behind the uptick in phony license plates was busted in Austin, Texas.
Royster famous that officers from the division have in current months held conferences with the MTA, DOT, sheriff’s workplace, amongst different companies on the endeavor.
“In the present day, we’re placing scofflaws on discover,” she mentioned. “When you dare to obscure your actual license plate or if you happen to affix an altered or solid short-term plate to your automobile, we’re on the market proper now in actual time on the lookout for your automobile and on the lookout for you.”
Royster additionally pressured that the try to cut back the variety of rule-breakers on the street will not be a fleeting initiative that’s solely in impact for the month or the rest of the summer time.
“That is an lively, ongoing a part of the day by day and nightly work of each NYPD police officer and investigator,” she mentioned.
“Identical to once we examine shootings and violent crimes, this effort is intelligence pushed, and we use precision policing to give attention to particular streets the place we all know automobiles with fraudulent plates or obscured plates are parked.”
Massive Apple Sheriff Anthony Miranda urged New Yorkers to report offenders.
“We wish to ensure that we not solely do the enforcement on the people who find themselves driving these automobiles, however we’re asking anyone else who is aware of of anybody who’s illegally promoting these plates and benefiting from our group to please contact the sheriff’s workplace,” he instructed reporters.
