In response to rash of car thefts, Nassau County police working with Newark cops to stop crime rings
NEWARK, N.J. -- Car theft is spiking on Long Island and now police are reaching across state lines for answers.
They say they've documented that three-quarters of cars stolen from Nassau County driveways are turning up in Newark.
As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported Thursday, a new strategy is focusing on New Jersey.
To date, a whopping 590 cars stolen have been stolen in Nassau, up 150 percent from last year. Now, police say their intelligence points across the river for answers, adding 75 percent of the cars have been recovered in the Garden State's largest city.
"Now, we are going to take the fight to their back yard," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.
READ MORE: Nassau Police making push for residents to stop leaving key fobs in cars amid surging thefts
Ryder said after arresting Newark teens for ramming cruisers and injuring cops during a chase in April, police have arrested other brazen car thieves from Newark, specifically targeting New York suburbs.
"They send 15- and 16- and 17-year-old kids to do these acts, and they know if they get caught because of raise the age they are going to get out," Ryder said. "They're used for drive-by shootings. They are used for doing bank robberies and street robberies. They are used for drag racing by these criminals. Is it organized? One hundred percent."
Newark officials say their records confirm only 80 cars from Nassau have been recovered there this year, but confirmed the new partnership.
Beginning this week, Nassau police, in coordination with Newark and U.S. Marshals, began canvassing Newark residents and offering $5,000 rewards for information leading to arrests.
Efforts at home are also having an impact. A campaign urging drivers to lock up and take key fobs has cut recent theft numbers nearly in half, and now the focus is on Newark.
"We are going to make it difficult for them and that maybe they should find another place to commit a crime because we are gong to go after them," said Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County's executive.
FLASHBACK: Rash of luxury car thefts plagues Hamptons
In hard-hit Great Neck, Deputy Mayor Bart Sobel welcomed the new strategy.
"It's a very, very significant invasion of your sense of safety in the community. No, it's not a house break-in, but right now it's very hard to get a car, to replace a car," Sobel said.
He added he hopes police will get to the top of these rings. He said he doubts teenagers are running organized car-theft rings, which have included shipping cars in cargo containers oversees.
Interim Newark Public Safety Director Raul Malave said the partnership between Newark police and Nassau is aimed at sharing information between their respective investigators.
"Both jurisdictions are working to remind drivers to lock their vehicles and to take the keys with them. Newark police division's community service officers regularly distribute auto safety flyers to drivers at residences and at businesses citywide," Malave said, in part.