The city of Newark, New Jersey has a higher car theft rate than any other city in the United States. This crime is perpetrated mainly by juveniles and young adults. The most popular targets are high-end vehicles. Carjacking has become a lucrative sport for criminals, and in Newark, the game has become a deadly one. Not only have cars been damaged or destroyed, but pedestrians have been injured as well. Some car thieves even climb up on rolled-up floor mats and phone books to get a better view of the steering wheel.
Newark has the highest car theft rate in the United States
Despite its relatively low population, Newark has the highest car theft rate in all of the United States. In 2012, nearly 4,000 cars were stolen from Newark’s streets. Considering Newark’s 277,000 residents, this means that almost one car is stolen every two hours. That translates to a per capita rate of 13.7 stolen cars per thousand residents.
Car theft is an expensive and potentially dangerous activity. It leaves car owners stranded without transportation and saddles them with repairs and towing costs. In addition, it can leave victims with an unnerving sense of violation. Recently, in Newark, a woman allowed her car insurance to lapse while switching carriers. A day later, she found it stolen with $2,150 worth of damage.
Newark’s high car theft rate results from a combination of bad actors. A new investigation found that five defendants were part of a car theft ring that stole 18 high-end vehicles worth more than $1 million. The cars were stolen in New York and driven to Newark, where they were parked in a driveway.
Newark is home to some of the nation’s most violent crimes. In 2019, there were 52 aggravated assaults reported in Newark. That’s higher than the national average of 2.67 incidents per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, robbery is the second most common violent crime, with 21 robberies reported in Newark.
Newark is home to a young and violent criminal population. A large portion of these thieves are gang members with criminal backgrounds. As a result, auto theft often leads to more serious crimes. Fortunately, police are more proactive in recovering stolen vehicles than ever before. Increased use of license plate recognition technology and data sharing among law enforcement agencies may be contributing to faster recovery rates. Currently, 70 percent of stolen cars are recovered within nine days.
The number of motor vehicle thefts is rising in the state of New Jersey. Newark police recently arrested teens for ramming cruisers in the streets. In addition, dozens of cars stolen in Nassau have been recovered in Newark this year. As a result, Newark police have joined forces with the Nassau police department and are offering $5,000 rewards for tips leading to arrests. Meanwhile, a campaign encouraging drivers to keep their cars locked and use key fobs has reduced recent theft numbers by half.
Juveniles and young adults are responsible for most heists
Vehicle burglaries and car thefts continue to increase throughout the Garden State and Jersey Shore, with three Newark residents arrested and four others on the run after a string of heists. According to the Newark Police Department, the three suspects entered an apartment without permission on Aug. 12, 2019. They also had two juvenile co-defendants with them, and three of them reportedly had firearms.
Guns have long been used as a form of self-defense by those involved in the illicit drug industry. Since they are carrying a valuable product, they are unlikely to call the police for assistance, and often use guns as a self-defense instrument.
High-end vehicles are targeted by thieves
In recent years, thieves have targeted high-end vehicles, including luxury vehicles. Recently, four high-end vehicles were stolen from four different homes in Avalon. The thieves entered the unlocked homes, swiped the car keys, and took off with the cars while the victims slept. Police have said this is part of a larger operation aimed at stealing high-end vehicles across the state. Many of these vehicles end up at the ports of Newark, packed in shipping containers.
The ring targeted luxury SUVs and cars, including BMWs, Mercedes Benz, Land Rovers, and Hondas. The criminals also stole the electronic keys, crucial for the vehicles’ resale value. A total of seven individuals have been arrested and charged as the leaders of the ring. These individuals filled various roles within the ring, including carjacker, fence, and the shipper.
While the city of Newark does not have a recognizable pattern of car theft, police have discovered that car thieves in the city often steal vehicles from surrounding areas. They also travel in groups and tend to avoid neighborhoods, making it difficult to track them down. Police have also found that thieves in Newark mistakenly steal the cars of drug dealers.
The state has placed a cap on insurance rates in the city of Newark in order to spread the financial burden of car theft on all car owners in the area. The high insurance rates are due in part to the fact that a single vehicle stolen in the city is worth about $2,150.
In addition to carjacking, thieves in the city of Newark also target high-end vehicles. Some of these cars are stolen through carjacking, while others are stolen by brokers. Some of the stolen vehicles are shipped to overseas clients. They may also be stolen by “runners” – individuals who transport stolen vehicles from one place to another.
As the city of Newark continues to deal with the high-end vehicle theft problem, police are taking steps to address the problem. The state is partnering with local police departments in an effort to curb this crime. They are using automated license plate recognition technology to identify suspects and implement targeted prevention strategies.
Modesto and Chicago are carjacking capitals of the U.S.
Carjacking has increased in recent years, and Modesto, and Chicago are three of the country’s top carjacking cities. Many of these crimes are committed by juveniles, and the numbers are disproportionately higher in these cities than in most others. Carjackers are also more likely to target older vehicles, such as Toyota and Honda models, as well as pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, and Dodge/Ram. These vehicles are often driven to chop shops, where they are stripped of key parts. They are then sold to unscrupulous auto parts dealers and online consumers.
While most carjacking crimes are not reported to law enforcement, there is a high demand for stolen vehicles. As a result, criminals are making money from these vehicles, which can be sold for a significant profit. Some of these criminals are looking for unmarked cars to use for drive-by shootings. While carjacking can be a lucrative business, it is difficult to solve and prosecute these crimes. The lack of uniform data makes it difficult to estimate the full extent of the problem. But in an effort to combat this issue, Durbin and others are calling for a national database that will track the crimes.
Modesto is a small city in the central valley of northern California. The town is widely considered unsafe due to its high crime rate. The city ranks as the carjacking capital of the U.S., with 573 car thefts per 100k residents. Chicago, meanwhile, is the carjacking capital of the Midwest. Notably, the city was once home to gangster Al Capone. In the 1920s, the Mafia controlled much of the city, and violent crime was widespread.
Modesto, Chicago, and Chicago are the carjacking capitals of the U. S., but they aren’t the only cities with high crime rates. Modesto has a relatively low population compared to other large metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles. In fact, Modesto beats out Los Angeles and Chicago. The city is also home to former U.S. Representative Gary Condit.
Carjacking is a major problem for people of all ages. It isn’t just a crime problem; it is a public health issue. The prevalence of carjacking is increasing, largely due to the effects of the pandemic. Youths with less stable environments and less school attendance are more prone to carjacking. Additionally, carjackers are often wearing masks in public places, which make it easier for them to catch victims. Most carjacks aren’t keeping their stolen vehicles, but are using them to commit other crimes, such as stealing cars from the victim.
