New York State - Division of Criminal Justice Services

times, other vehicles in the area were found to have had their interior ransacked, whichalso points to juveniles looking for something to steal and finding a spare key.In years past, ignition by-pass was a common method of theft, but in 2009 only11 vehicles were stolen using this method as compared to 64 in 2008. The majoritywere Chrysler products, primarily older model Dodge Caravans.Six motor vehicles were stolen through the use of a tow truck; all six were oldermodels and were not recovered. Another nine older motor vehicles ranging from a 2000to a 1971 model were stolen and never recovered. It appears all these vehicles werestolen for scrap. The number of motor vehicles stolen for this purpose is down from2008, possibly because the price of scrap metal has dropped and the revised DMVscrap metal forms that are now in use.Syracuse experienced a slight increase in carjacking cases, with 10 in 2009compared to six the year before. One case was closed by arrest and the others are allpending. Victims were not cooperating fully with the police investigation into the crime.A number of years ago, the department implemented the “attempt to locate”classification for motor vehicles that were reported to the 911 Center as stolen, but wasactually traded for drugs. Officers were instructed to broadcast an attempt to locatemessage and change the classification from stolen vehicle to attempt to locate. During2009, there were only a few “drug trades” wrongly classified as stolen vehicles, whichmay account for some of the decrease in motor vehicle theft for 2009. Another possiblereason for the decrease in stolen vehicles is the increased number of officers assignedto Patrol and Command staff using crime analysis and mapping to target high-crimeareas. Many of the high motor vehicle theft areas of the city are also the areas of highdrug activity. Placing additional officers in these areas may have reduced the motorvehicle thief’s ability to find a vehicle to steal. Additionally, the Syracuse PoliceDepartment participates in Operation IMPACT, which puts the State Police and theOnondaga County Sheriff, as well as additional Syracuse police officers, on the streetsto actively stop vehicles for petty offenses and/or crimes in high-crime areas of the city.In 2009, Syracuse police investigated a rash of burglaries involving cardealerships and auto repair shops, during which at least seven vehicles were stolen.Similar crimes were also being committed outside the city. As a result of the Syracusepolice investigation, two individuals were arrested in connection with these crimes. Inone case, the suspect stole two vehicles. The police had few leads until the burglarsstole two vehicles from separate dealerships, both equipped with ONSTAR. Bothvehicles were found in the Town of Dewitt, one parked on the street and the otherparked in a driveway. One of the occupants of the home where the vehicle was parkedin the driveway confessed to the burglary spree and proceeds from burglaries in andoutside of the city were recovered. Five city burglaries were cleared by this arrest, aswere additional burglaries from within Onondaga County. Onondaga County Sheriff’swere also able to clear some construction site larcenies and a restaurant/bar burglary.NYS DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES MVTIFP BOARD / ANNUAL REPORT 2009 Page 75