Mayor Adams And Governor Hochul Announce Removal of 73,000 Ghost Cars and Illegal Motorized Vehicles From New York City Streets as "Public Safety Week" Rolls on

December 11, 2024

Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLd3x8jXPOk

Crackdown Targets Untraceable Vehicles Linked to Crime, Protects Taxpayers, and Frees Up Parking for Residents

20,000 Ghost Cars and 53,000 Illegal Motorized Vehicles Removed Since Start of Adams Administration

Builds on Ongoing Interagency, City-State Task Force That Has Already Removed an Additional 3,000 Ghost Cars from New York City Streets

New York – As "Public Safety Week" rolls on, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) have removed more than 73,000 illegal "ghost cars" – cars that are virtually untraceable by traffic cameras and toll readers because of their forged or altered license plates – and illegal and unregistered motorized scooters, bikes, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) from New York City streets since the start of the Adams administration.

This year alone, NYPD and DSNY have removed more than 7,500 ghost cars and 27,000 illegal motorized vehicles from New York City streets. And since the launch of a joint task force between the two departments in September – just 12 weeks ago – more than 5,000 ghost cars have been removed. This task force targets parked ghost cars and contributed to the more than 20,000 ghost cars and more than 53,000 illegal and unregistered motorized vehicles seized since the start of the Adams administration.

Ghost cars and other illegal vehicles pose significant public safety risks and are increasingly being used in violent crimes, including shootings and robberies, as well as in traffic offenses like hit-and-runs. Ghost cars also deprive law-abiding taxpayers of millions of dollars in unpaid tolls and fees that could otherwise be invested in critical government services.

"Our kids, families, and all New Yorkers must feel safe and be safe in our city, but ghost cars contribute to the feeling of disorder, and that's why our administration has pumped the brakes on the use of these illegal vehicles," said Mayor Adams. "While outlaws use fraudulent, defaced, or non-existent license plates and other illegal vehicles to commit and evade accountability for serious crimes, including shootings, robberies, and hit-and-runs, thanks to our partnership across city and state agencies, we have taken more than 73,000 ghost cars and illegal vehicles off New York City's streets since the start of our administration. We are not going to stand by while people break the law, defraud our city, and endanger the public."

"Ghost plates and toll evasion cost our state millions each year, which is why we launched a city-state task force to crack down on these offenders and worked with the legislature this year to strengthen enforcement actions," said Governor Hochul. "Working in partnership with Mayor Adams and law enforcement, we are prioritizing the safety of all New Yorkers by removing these vehicles from our streets and ensuring these brazen actions do not go unchecked any longer."

"Ghost plates and the vehicles that use them have long been a plague on the streets of New York City," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. "But the days of motorists getting away with it are over. When you are caught driving or parking a ghost vehicle, you will be stopped and, when necessary, arrested. Your vehicle will also be impounded. I assure everyone that all of our interagency task forces are fully dedicated to this critical work of ensuring public safety."

"The MTA is conveying to anyone who still hasn't gotten the message on toll evasion: forget it. We will catch you, stop you, fine you, and we'll seize your car," said Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chief Security Officer Michael Kemper. "We have the tools, training, and technology to catch toll evaders; just ask the 3,200 people whose cars have been impounded or the 700 people who've been arrested in one of our toll evasion operations this year. We'll remain vigilant on toll evasion because there's zero tolerance for scofflaws or for criminals stealing millions from New Yorkers, and we thank Mayor Adams, the NYPD, the Port Authority, New York City Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police, and all of our other partner agencies for working with us on this important effort."

"The Port Authority is unwavering in its commitment to keeping our roadways safe, and the remarkable success of this initiative underscores the critical importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies to tackle toll evasion and ghost plates," said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Superintendent Edward Cetnar. "In just seven months, our united efforts have resulted in thousands of summonses and hundreds of arrests. This sends a clear message: Those who cheat the system will face immediate consequences. Together, we are ensuring that nobody on our roads shirks their responsibility for safe, fair, and equitable travel."

In September, Mayor Adams announced a new interagency task force in which 15 NYPD officers were assigned strictly to parked ghost car removal under the direction of DSNY. In the 12 weeks since the task force began regular operations, it has already removed 5,119 ghost cars – freeing up space for New Yorkers who follow safety and regulatory requirements. The NYPD has removed an additional 2,415 ghost cars this year, for a total of 7,534 ghost cars cleared from New York City streets in 2024 already.

In 2023, the NYPD confiscated 18,430 illegal and unregistered motorized scooters, bikes, and ATVs – the highest number in city history – representing a 128 percent increase from 2022. In 2024, the NYPD has already bested 2023's complete year tally, removing 27,040 illegal vehicles.

This work builds on additional ongoing efforts to combat ghost cars. In March, Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and MTA Chair and CEO Lieber launched a multi-agency, city-state ghost car task force that included the NYPD, the New York City Sheriff's Office, MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers, the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. The task force completed 58 operations, making 700 arrests, issuing 32,244 summonses, and seizing 3,198 vehicles whose owners owed a total of over $27.3 million in unpaid tolls, taxes, fees, and more.

Overall index crime across New York City is down year-to-date – with reductions in murder, burglary, grand larceny, vehicle theft, and shootings. The increased enforcement of ghost cars and two-wheeled vehicles has played a significant role in narrowing the opportunity for those committing crimes to escape consequences in New York City.

This announcement comes as part of Mayor Adams' "Public Safety" Week, which continues to highlight the Adams administration's community-driven public safety models – unveiling new and ongoing efforts to keep New Yorkers safe and improve their quality of life. Recently, Mayor Adams released, "Safer Together: Results of the Adams Administration's Community-Driven Public Safety Approach," outlining the results of the administration's approach to public safety by delivering multi-agency responses to communities dealing with persistent public safety and quality-of-life concerns. In addition to highlighting neighborhood-by-neighborhood responses, key indicators of the report show the administration's "Community Link" multi-agency response efforts resolved nearly 730 complaints, conducted over 1,070 operations, and issued over 15,900 summonses since launching in May 2023.

"I am pleased that our NYPD and Department of Sanitation have been responsive to our community's concerns and cracked down on ghost cars, removing another 7,500 from our streets, bringing the total to more than 20,000 of these vehicles removed over the past three years," said U.S. Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. "These untraceable vehicles, that are not properly registered and insured, pose a public safety risk and are often used for criminal activity. Ghost vehicles also unfairly burden law-abiding taxpayers, who are left to foot the bill for the millions in unpaid tolls and soaring car insurance rates."

"Untraceable ghost cars and illegal motorized vehicles have jeopardized public safety, with many entering from New Jersey into Staten Island and Lower Manhattan," said New York State Assemblymember Charles Fall. "I applaud Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams for taking bold action to clear thousands of these vehicles from our streets. This effort strengthens public safety, protects taxpayer resources, and ensures our roads and parking are available for responsible residents–a significant move for the well-being of our city."

"We are going full speed ahead tackling two of the biggest safety issues for road users: ghost cars with fake paper plates and illegal scooters," said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. "Drivers use ghost cars to commit crimes, cover up stolen vehicles, evade their fair share of tolls, and violate traffic laws. Illegal scooters have become the vehicle of choice for people committing crimes and are operated with reckless abandon. The partnership between the NYPD and DSNY has made incredible progress tackling these issues, taking 7,500 ghost cars and 27,000 illegal vehicles off the streets in only three months. I am working to amplify this success, authoring the Ghostbuster Act to authorize seizure of any cars with paper plates and allow enforcement by VIN, and introducing Priscilla's Law to require license plates for e-vehicles. Together, we will make our streets the safest they have ever been."

"The removal of over 7,500 ghost cars and 27,000 unregistered motorized vehicles is a vital step in ensuring the safety and functionality of our streets," said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. "These vehicles often contribute to reckless driving, evade tolls and fees critical for city services, and present challenges to enforcement efforts. I applaud the administration for their dedication to addressing this pervasive issue and protecting New Yorkers' right to safe and accountable roadways."

"These vehicles are a menace, plain and simple," said New York City Councilmember Joseph Borelli. "It should come as no surprise that people who routinely flout our vehicle and traffic laws are the same folks who are using their ghost cars and illegal mopeds to commit more serious crime."

"Today's effort to remove 7,500 ghost cars and 27,000 illegal motorized vehicles from our streets is a major step toward making New York City safer and more livable for all," said New York City Councilmember Shaun Abreu, chair, Sanitation Committee. "These untraceable vehicles not only contribute to crime but also impact our quality of life in profound ways. By taking action, we are safeguarding our communities, holding individuals accountable, and clearing our streets for those who truly need them."

"Ghost cars and illegal motorized devices have been both a nuisance and a hazard on our streets for a long time," said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. "It is both damaging to the quality of life and the safety of our residents when these vehicles are present and used for other crimes. We thank Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, the NYPD and DSNY for being diligent enforcers against these vehicles and taking thousands of them off our streets."

"Ghost cars represent a serious danger to the safety and well-being of our communities," said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. "These untraceable vehicles, with forged or altered license plates, not only make it more difficult for law enforcement to track offenders, but they are also increasingly linked to violent crimes, reckless driving, and traffic violations. I am grateful for the swift action being taken by Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, and our dedicated law enforcement partners in removing over 7,500 of these dangerous vehicles from our streets. This effort is crucial in holding individuals accountable and ensuring that our neighborhoods remain safe for all residents."

"Ghost cars, illegal motorized scooters, and other unregistered motor vehicles present a multitude of risks to public safety and have no place on our city's streets," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "I applaud the NYPD, DSNY, and their partner agencies for being extraordinarily responsive to the many complaints Queens residents have made about these vehicles. This important and necessary enforcement work is doing a great deal to make our streets safer for all who use them."

"Untraceable ghost cars with defaced, forged, or fraudulent license plates have no place in Brooklyn or New York City, where they are often used during the commission of various crimes ranging from robberies to hit-and-runs to dodging tolls," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. "They make the streets unsafe for pedestrians and other drivers. I commend Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul for the outstanding work of this city-state task force which is having a meaningful impact on public safety."

"Flying flagrantly in the face of our laws, 'ghost cars' pose a serious threat to Staten Islanders and jeopardize our borough's public safety," said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. "Often used by crooked criminals in the commission of serious crimes, these untraceable vehicles contribute to New Yorkers' sense that lawlessness is rampant and perpetrated without consequence in our city. Furthermore, the preponderance of vehicles with fake, forged, or altered plates serve as a massive source of frustration for the countless number of law-abiding Staten Islanders who play by the rules and honestly pay their tolls, car insurance payments, and other associated costs. Thankfully, the free ride for these bad actors is coming to a close as more than 7,500 'ghost cars' have been taken off of our streets so far thanks to the incredible efforts of our partners in the law enforcement. With additional resources allocated by Mayor Eric Adams and increased communication between the NYPD and DSNY, real progress is being made towards removing these law-breaking vehicles from our communities once and for all. I look forward to working alongside our partners in government and law enforcement to improve the quality of life and restore public safety for my fellow Staten Islanders."