N.Y. Gov. Announces Nearly $4M Awarded to Combat Auto Theft, Insurance Fraud

January 12, 2015

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced more than $3.7 million in grant funding to fight against motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud.

The grant awards will go to district attorneys’ offices and police departments in seven counties and New York City, the Fire Department of New York, as well as to two training organizations.

“These grants will help protect New Yorkers from car theft, as well as higher car insurance rates,” Cuomo said in a statement on Jan. 8. “This funding will go a long way to helping law enforcement and other agencies around the state continue to crack down on these crimes, and I am proud the state is supporting their efforts.”

The selected agencies will continue their efforts to combat motor vehicle theft — which has been steadily declining in New York. Law enforcement reported 15,451 thefts in 2013, a 10 percent decrease from 2012 and a 62 percent decrease since 2003. They will also target suspected auto insurance fraud.

The 17 organizations and agencies will use their grants in various ways to combat fraud, including funding either all or a part of the salaries of assistant district attorneys and investigators specifically assigned to handle motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud cases, pay overtime for enhanced enforcement and sting operations and offer specialized training for prosecutors, police officers and investigators.

The following is the list of grants. The grants are awarded by the state’s Motor Vehicle Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention program, which is overseen by a 12-member board.

Statewide Training Grants

• New York Anti-Car Theft and Fraud Association (NYACT): $62,000
• New York State Prosecutors Institute (NYPTI): $38,800

New York City

• Bronx County District Attorney’s Office: $273,000
• Fire Department of New York (FDNY): $104,000
• Kings County District Attorney’s Office: $210,900
• New York County District Attorney’s Office: $250,900
• New York City Police Department (NYPD): a total of $277,000 to two specialized units, the Auto Crime Division and the Fraudulent Collision Investigation Unit
• Queens County District Attorney’s Office: $556,000
• Richmond County District Attorney’s Office: $76,700

Long Island

• Nassau County: $255,000 — to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $128,500; and Nassau County Police Department, $126,500
• Suffolk County: $455,500 — to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $312,500; and Suffolk County Police Department, $143,000

Mid-Hudson

• Westchester County: $450,000 — to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $316,000; and Yonkers Police Department, $134,000

Capital Region

• Albany County: $105,000 — to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $69,000; and Albany Police Department, $36,000

Finger Lakes

• Monroe County: $199,500 — to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $127,000; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, $31,000; and Rochester Police Department, $41,500

Western New York

• Erie County: $266,200 to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $121,500; Buffalo Police Department, $97,700; and Cheektowaga Police Department, $47,000

• Niagara County: $168,500 to be shared by the District Attorney’s Office, $114,000; Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, $21,000; and Niagara Falls Police Department, $33,500

Topics Auto New York Fraud Law Enforcement New Markets Training Development

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