New York City – Car thefts in New York City are up 72% this year while Midtown Manhattan is the target of thieves in the middle of the day. In the span of one hour on Wednesday, several cars were stolen by force in broad daylight.
The first carjacking happened on West 55th Street and Broadway at about 4:30 p.m. when a man threatened a driver with a Taser and stole a black Audi SUV, FOX5 New York reported.
Part of the carjacking was caught on video that shows the stolen car smash into a sedan head-on as someone who appears to be a police officer tries to stop the vehicle. The stolen SUV speeds away, leaving a trail of wreckage in its wake according to Fox News.
Police said the stolen SUV eventually crashed into a pole near Columbus Circle and the suspect fled on foot into the subway.
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Less than an hour later, police said a separate carjacking took place on West 36th Street near Seventh Avenue, according to authorities.
No arrests have been made in either incident.
A third carjacking happened at the intersection of East 42nd Street and First Avenue.
The series of carjackings come as the city faces a rise in car thefts less than two weeks into the new year.
As of Sunday, the number of citywide grand larceny auto cases year-to-date rose to 329 – a 72.3% increase compared to 191 reported during the same period last year, according to police statistics.
