Adams, Hochul crack down on 73,000 ghost cars, illegal vehicles

In a major step toward enhancing public safety, New York City officials, led by Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, announced the removal of 73,000 illegal vehicles, including 20,000 ghost cars, from the city’s streets. This milestone marks a critical achievement in their ongoing efforts to tackle crime and improve quality of life through decisive law enforcement actions.

“We must be safe,” Mayor Adams declared during the press conference, emphasizing that ghost cars are far from harmless. Often equipped with fraudulent or defaced license plates, these vehicles are linked to serious crimes, including shootings, robberies, and hit-and-runs. “They play a major role in some of the crimes that we’re seeing taking place throughout our entire city,” he added.

Since the beginning of the initiative, over 53,000 illegal mopeds, ATVs, and unregistered two-wheelers have also been seized. Adams credited the collaboration between city and state agencies, including the NYPD, Department of Sanitation, and MTA, for the operation’s success. “This city will not be a city of chaos,” he stated.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch highlighted the dangers posed by ghost vehicles, calling them a “plague on our city’s streets since the pandemic.” These vehicles, she explained, are often used to evade tolls and red-light cameras, but increasingly, they serve as getaway vehicles in violent crimes. This year alone, the NYPD and Department of Sanitation have seized over 7,500 ghost cars.

Deputy Mayor Chauncey Parker credited the city’s coordinated multi-agency approach, led by Adams, as key to the operation’s success. Targeting illegally parked ghost cars also yielded results, with nearly 5,000 vehicles removed in just ten weeks.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella praised the crackdown for its immediate impact, noting the program’s deterrent value. “Ghost cars may be theoretically invisible, but they have a very visible impact on public safety,” he said. Fossella also pointed out the financial toll on law-abiding drivers, especially Staten Islanders, who bear the burden of increased toll costs due to evasion.

Officials were unanimous in their resolve to continue enforcement. “The days of operating these illegal ghost cars with impunity are over,” Tisch asserted, vowing zero tolerance.

The initiative reflects broader efforts to maintain New York City’s status as “the safest big city in America,” with index crimes down 5.7% in November and nearly 2% for the year. “We are sending a clear and loud message,” Adams said. “This will not be tolerated.”

With the operation’s success so far, the city is renewing its commitment to rid the streets of untraceable vehicles, ensuring safer neighborhoods for all New Yorkers.