By Hank Russell
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles helped consumers recover more than $11 million in stolen vehicles, stolen parts, services and lost titles, in 2024.
“New Yorkers who buy a car or who have one repaired, need to know that New York will stand up for them and protect them,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We work diligently to assist customers and the DMV works with dealers and repair shops to bring consumers satisfaction. If issues cannot be resolved, swift enforcement action is taken.”
Last year, the DMV recovered 303 stolen vehicles — valued at $8,353,334 at the time of their theft — and $91,979 in stolen parts. As car thefts remain an ongoing issue across the country, DMV warned consumers last October about the dangers of car sales scams through online sites like Facebook Marketplace, and reminded car buyers to be vigilant when purchasing a vehicle online. According to the Division of Criminal Justice, in 2023, there were 889 cars stolen in Nassau County and 1,532 in Suffolk.
Theft of car parts was augmented by the growing, yet disturbing, trend of catalytic converters being stolen from vehicles. That was because the metals in the converters are very valuable and wound up in scrap metal recycling facilities.
According to local news reports, catalytic converters increased almost fivefold between 2021 and 2022 from 472 to 2,292. In Suffolk, that number jumped dramatically from 282 to 1,581.
In addition to recovering stolen vehicles and parts, the DMV also helped consumers recoup vehicle titles, services and refunds valued at more than $3 million from dishonest auto dealers and repair shops. According to news reports,
Following the investigation of consumer complaints, the DMV took action against auto dealers and repair shops for selling vehicles without disclosing significant defects to the buyer and charging consumers for repairs that were never completed or they did not need. In total, 474 customers were provided refunds or vehicle repairs valued at $1.48 million. In addition, the DMV helped car buyers recover 67 titles for vehicles valued at more than $1.56 million when the auto dealerships they bought them from suddenly closed or withheld the title from the rightful owner.
A certificate of title for a vehicle is what establishes a person or business as the legal owner. Without a title, a vehicle owner is unable to transfer ownership, remove a lien, or provide proof of ownership necessary to take out a loan on the vehicle or file an insurance claim.
DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “We take great pride in assisting customers when they need help, whether that is getting a title from a dealer that went out of business, working with clients and automotive businesses to address issues with a repair job, or recovering stolen vehicles. Customers should know that if they need assistance, they have friends at the DMV who will help them.”
An online guide to finding a DMV-regulated business is available on the agency’s website.