Mayor unveils new answers to car thefts as thefts rise 229%

Baltimore’s Democratic mayor, Brandon Scott, announced Monday that the city would change its approach to car thefts in the area by “holding manufacturers accountable” and giving residents devices to track their vehicles.

Thieves have stolen 9,313 cars in Baltimore since January, up 229% from 2022, police data shown. In an attempt to stop rampant theft, Scott unveiled a new plan that will give city residents access to anti-theft devices and electronic tracking tags for their cars, put “pressure” on automakers to “not they cut corners,” will improve. the seized city lot and will use “youth entertainment” in an effort to prevent minors from stealing vehicles, seconds to a summary of the strategy.

“The updates we’re presenting today are a continuation of that work, which includes prevention, deterrence, enforcement and the pursuit of legal remedies,” Scott. said in a press release. “We will continue to increase intergovernmental collaboration and attack the root causes of these problems so that Baltimoreans can be confident that we are addressing the growing number of auto thefts from every possible angle.”

Under the new strategy, the city will give out free electronic tracking devices and steering wheel locks to eligible citizens and increase police patrols in some “hot spots” where cars are most frequently stolen, according to the summary. Scott also intends to install more license plate readers throughout Baltimore to hold car thieves “accountable.”

Scott attributed the jump in car theft to young people using TikTok to learn how to easily break into Kia and Hyundai models, according to the summary. Nearly 70% of stolen cars in Baltimore since January have been Kias or Hyundais, and youth carjackings are up 166% since 2022.

“We know there’s something deeper going on when we see these kinds of spikes, and we’re committed to continuing to address the root cause of these issues and to show that young people have the opportunities they need, the support they need. at home, to encourage- them to choose to do the right thing,” Scott he said The Baltimore Sun.

Youthful face minimum penalties for all but the most “violent” crimes under current Maryland law, a response residents say has exacerbated crime in the city. Juvenile crime reports are up 74 percent in the state since the lenient policies went into effect in 2021, and juvenile crimes are up 70.5 percent in fiscal year 2022 alone.

There are higher theft rates get up Car insurance rates for Baltimore citizens are 231% above the national average. Insurance companies blamed the high rates on the “riskiness” of the area, citing high crime in Baltimore that leads to more car theft complaints.

The Baltimore mayor’s office and the Baltimore Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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