Posted on 02/10/2015 8:05:17 PM PST by dennisw
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A highly-charged crime spree of sorts has erupted in Queens, and the ill-gotten goods being taken have been some of the most unusual in recent memory.
As CBS2’s Scott Rapoport reported, it amounts to the latest wrinkle in smash and grab car thefts. Police said thieves are stealing 50-pound hybrid car batteries of all things — right from under the trunks.
“I never heard of it. It’s odd,” one resident said.
The NYPD said 14 incidents have been reported citywide since November of last year. Twelve of them happened in the 108th Police Precinct, which includes Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside in Queens.
In each of those cases, the cars were Toyota Camrys. The overwhelming majority, police said, were yellow cabs.
Debra Markell Kleinert is the district manager for Queens Community Board 2.
“They’re taking them out of the cars, and they’re selling them on the open market,” she said. “And people are coming out and finding their batteries missing.”
Willie Padilla is shop foreman at the Cityworld repair shop in the Baychester section of the Bronx. He explained how the hybrid battery helps run the car.
“What the hybrid battery does – it actually gets the car rolling, and it can roll up to about 20 miles an hour on electric power alone,” he said.
But that is not why they are in demand.
“They are worth 3,400 bucks,” Padilla said. “They’re very expensive.”
(Excerpt) Read more at newyork.cbslocal.com ...
Could they be sold to people setting up solar panel arrays and other renewable sources?
Or simply preferred thefts because carrying a battery and saying it is dead, going to recycling or the shop, is less risk than carrying jewelry or ten containers of Tide, before selling it to a shady repair shop.
This could energize a crime spree.
Resistance could be futile.
This thread has potential.
That’s revolting. Resist such things.
I don’t want to impede you getting amped up, but this is close to the wire.
I would charge the thieves on the grounds that they shocked static car owners. The current prices of hybrids might go up.
BTW, 95% of cars will be using oil in year 2050, according to my research.
The peasants are re-volting!
I predict there will be a lot of static about this.
When the owners replace the batteries, then you’ll see some revolting.
“See a profit center, a crime will follow. The criminals finally learned of this one. Ha Ha.”
It will generate a lot of copycats
“I wonder what kind of terrorist weapon can be created with them.”
Crowd Taser.
There is the potential that this could generate a spontaneous reaction from the police, depending on current events.
Watts up wid dat.....not stealing Volt batteries.
But it’s current news.
In the olden days they’d just siphon gas.
“There are many parts in any car that cost just as much,”
But they aren’t as easy or quick to remove.
“They are worth 3,400 bucks,”
Some are worth that in used but good condition. Some new are much more.
“How much would anyone pay for a used battery, with unknown provenance?”
How many would buy a stolen Rolex? Or if by chance you were thinking condition, easy to test. Also there is around a thousand dollar core charge on them as they can be rebuilt.
“How many owners of hybrids are so poor that they have to buy parts from vendors in a dark alley?”
More than you would imagine. And I would venture a guess some salvage yards out there wouldn’t ask on a quick money maker.
I’m getting a charge out of these puns.
Those cars are going to depreciate dramatically when the batts approach their expected lifespan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.