NEW YORK, NY – GreekNews USA
NYC Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on December 11 the NYPD and NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) have removed more than 73,000 illegal “ghost cars” 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.
“Ghost cars” are cars that are virtually untraceable by traffic cameras and toll readers because of their forged or altered license plates.
“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. “We are not going to stand by while people break the law, defraud our city, and endanger the public”.
In September, Adams announced a joint task force in which 15 uniformed NYPD officers were assigned strictly to parked ghost car removal, under the direction of the DSNY. In the 12 weeks since the task force began regular operations, it removed 5,119 ghost cars.
“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.
The vehicles seized by this task force will be held at NYPD lots where they will be processed and either claimed, auctioned, or destroyed after all investigations are complete.