Ten men were arrested in connection with an auto theft ring with the intention to resell the stolen cars, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
The defendants, all from Brooklyn or Queens, have been charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, unauthorized use of a vehicle and conspiracy.
According to the indictment, the men stole close to a dozen vehicles between the dates of Dec. 5, 2011 and Feb. 27, 2012. The majority of the vehicles were stolen from various car dealerships as they were being unloaded off a transportation truck. One car is believed to have been stolen from a private individual.
Brown said the bust of this theft ring is a part of his ongoing efforts to reduce the number of auto robberies in the borough.
“Since I took office in 1991 – when an astounding 50,000 cars a year were reported stolen in Queens – the incidence of auto theft has dropped to fewer than 3,000 cars a year being reported stolen in Queens,” he said. “Operations like the one being announced today in conjunction with the New York State Police are effective measures to ward off auto theft.”
-BY ANTHONY O’REILLY
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