NYPD to host auto theft prevention event on Staten Island next week

STATEN ISLAND, NY — Islanders will have the opportunity to keep their vehicles safe next week at a theft prevention event hosted by the NYPD's Crime Prevention Division.

The free event will take place on Thursday, August 22nd from noon to 2 p.m. at the Willowbrook Park Carousel, 2 Eton Place.

Qualified participants will receive a free steering wheel lock on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. The steering wheel lock helps prevent car thefts by locking the vehicle's steering column.

The event is free and open to the public; registration is not required.

For more information, contact Officer Gusenfitter at 929-334-9925.

A strategic change

In an interview with Advance/SILive.com in December, Assistant Chief Joseph Gulotta, NYPD district chief, said the Staten Island Police Department undertook a strategic shift earlier this year. That tactical shift included the creation of a complex, statewide intelligence collection and analysis system, particularly to step up efforts to combat auto thefts and burglaries.

The NYPD's latest CompStat data shows a 23% decrease in reported vehicle thefts in the precinct (216 versus 281) for the year ending August 11, compared to the same period in 2023.