NYPD explains challenges behind solving Riverdale auto thefts

As the issue of stolen cars and car parts persists across greater Riverdale, some residents are critiquing what they believe is a lack of New York City Police Department action. But police told The Press solving the problem is not so simple.

Riverdale-based filmmaker Lisa Stockton-Wilson has been taking initiative, and rallying neighbors to document their incidents of car and car part theft on a shared spreadsheet. She intends to deliver the list — which recorded 11 incidents as of July 17 — to elected officials and demand an increase in neighborhood police patrol.

Twenty-six incidents of grand larceny auto were reported in the 50th Precinct— which patrols Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Kingsbridge and Marble Hill — in the last month, according to the NYPD’s crime stats through July 12. In the last year, 146 incidents were reported through July 12, according to police.

“Why aren’t they protecting us?” Stockton-Wilson asked about the police. “Why are they just letting this happen? We pay our taxes like everyone else.”

Stockton-Wilson had the catalytic converter stolen out of her Mazda6 in late June. According to a complaint filed to the police, the incident occurred June 20 in front of 5914 Riverdale Avenue at 12:26 p.m. Stockton-Wilson recalled starting up her car, and hearing a “rocket-ship loud” noise, as if the car was about to explode.

Perpetrators want catalytic converters because the part is made of valuable metals — platinum, rhodium and palladium — bringing in more than $200, or in some cases more than $1,000, according to car part and accessory distributor AutoZone.

Replacing the part cost Stockton-Wilson about $1500, which is not an easy bill for an artist to foot, she said. 

“I don’t know if [the perpetrators] think that it’s a rich neighborhood,” Stockton-Wilson said about Riverdale. “But there’s a lot of working-class people here that are paycheck to paycheck.”

One signee on the spreadsheet, Johanna Morales, is an Amalgamated Housing Cooperative resident who had her catalytic converter stolen twice, two months apart.

The first time, Jan. 1, the car was parked in front of  3985 Gouverneur Ave., according to a complaint filed to police. The second time, on March 10, the car was parked in front of 4010 Gouverneur Ave., the complaint stated. Both incidents were reported March 14, police said.

“You feel violated,” Morales, who drives a Toyota Corolla, said. “And afraid when you leave your car parked on the street … It could just happen anywhere nowadays.”

Hondas and Toyotas are frequently targeted, since perpetrators can reprogram the keys and start the car remotely, 50th Precinct Captain Amadeo Oktrova said at a May 50th precinct community council meeting. Kias and Hyundais are also common targets due to vulnerabilities in ignition systems, Oktrova said.

While resident concerns about the safety of their vehicles in the Riverdale area can be a source of anxiety, police said the picture might not be so bleak.

Auto theft has actually declined in the borough, police said, citing a year-to-date 26.4 percent decrease— 1,619 incidents versus 2,199 — in auto theft.

Still, they said solving the problem completely isn’t a quick fix.

A NYPD spokesperson said grand larceny auto investigations are different from other criminal investigations. There’s no direct interaction with the victim or public confrontation, and the crime is almost always committed without witnesses, the spokesperson said. Without someone to see or hear the theft and help identify perpetrators, the NYPD said, it’s difficult for them to follow any investigative leads.

Even when there’s video surveillance, it isn’t very valuable, the spokesperson said. Organized theft crews are routinely deliberate in concealing their identities by wearing masks, gloves and hooded clothes, among other things that hinder facial recognition, according to the spokesperson. Crews are fast, too, they said. They often finish a theft within minutes, while minimizing exposure to cameras, police said. Footage can confirm the crime happened but rarely much else, according to the spokesperson.

Since police are limited in these ways, investigations into crews take time, they said. Cases are intelligence-driven, as investigators work to identify patterns and link multiple incidents, the spokesperson said. 

Investigators also frequently rely on tools that need a court order or approval from a judge. These include search warrants for cell phones, phone location history, social media analysis, vehicle forensic information, license plate reader data and financial records, according to police. These methods help police build a case that is prosecutable against crews, the spokesperson said.

Police emphasized the amount of time and resources that go into these investigations, often spanning months before there is enough evidence. It may not produce immediate action, but the long-term strategy is most effective in dismantling crews instead of repeatedly arresting lower-level offenders for isolated incidents, the spokesperson said.

Success shouldn’t be measured by immediate arrests after individual thefts, but by ability to disrupt and prosecute criminal enterprises, the spokesperson said.

The NYPD also highlighted “Operation Pit Crew,” a years-long investigation into an allegedly gang-affiliated auto theft ring. Police and the Bronx District Attorney’s office wrapped up the case in April. It ended with a 971-count indictment against 16 people, surpassing $1.2 million in stolen property value, according to a release from the district attorney.