In response to the escalating car theft rates in New York, Senator Jeremy Cooney has put forth the “Car Theft Prevention Act” that aims to categorize car theft as a felony offense.
This initiative stems from the recent alarming figures revealing that some locations like Monroe County witnessed a staggering 345% surge in car thefts this year compared to the same period last year.
Under the existing law, car theft culprits face a grand larceny charge and are handed an appearance ticket for court proceedings.
However, the proposed legislation seeks to reclassify car theft as criminal possession of stolen property, making it eligible for bail.
Senator Cooney has said that further details regarding the bill will be disclosed in the upcoming days. The proposal has received strong support from law enforcement.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].