Syracuse Police report major decline in car theft cases
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Car thefts in Syracuse are significantly down, dropping more than 50% in the first half of 2025.
According to the Syracuse Police Department, the number of stolen vehicles has decreased by 51.5% citywide.
Syracuse Police Department attributes the decrease to proactive work, including several steering wheel lock drives last summer, social media alerts, and officers patrolling the city.
The department partnered with Syracuse University's Department of Public Safety and Destiny USA to distribute more than 1,000 steering wheel locks in just one week.
'It's a big deterrent,' Kieran Coffey, Public Information Officer with Syracuse Police, said. 'When someone sees that lock on the wheel, they know they can't drive off with it quickly.'
Coffey explained the department consistently stays on top of social media trends and alerts the public of any new ones. He has followed the decline of the dangerous social media trend known as the 'Kia Boys' challenge.
The viral TikTok trend showed teens how to use a USB cord to hotwire certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles in under a minute. The department said many of the thefts last year were tied to that method, especially around the university neighborhood, where some students left cars unlocked or parked in dimly lit areas.
Syracuse Police are also watching for newer trends — like thieves trying to mirror key fobs on Toyotas, Lexus vehicles, and Nissans — and hope to hold another steering wheel lock drive this summer.
The auto theft numbers are updated weekly by police through their online CompStat dashboard, which breaks down crime trends by district.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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