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 ...
I noticed the guy didn’t respond about the SUV with 25/33 mpg. My V-6 Camry gets 24-25 around town (35-45 with stop and go) and I have hit 34 on the road but 30-32 is more usual. Rated at 22/28 and 24 mixed. My wife’s RAV4 gets 20-22 around town and 27-28 on the road with the same engine. I’ve seen some newer cars advertised at higher mpgs, but some need to be taken with a grain of salt - many under powered to attain it or need specific conditions. Most 4 cylinders have good power and mileage these days.
Obviously perpetrated by an organized cell.
I am shocked; just shocked, I tell you!
But what would the coppers charge you with?
Joule theives
2015 Subaru Outback. We had a 2013 Subaru Legacy, which is the same chassis, only a AWD sedan, the outback is essentially a station wagon with a little more ground clearance. The Legacy actual highway avg’d about 31 in the summer.
We just got the Outback, outside temps are 0 - 30, we let it warm up, and it’s getting 26. When broken in this summer I see no reason why it will not get the 34 sticker hiway MPG.
It’s a very nice vehicle & has a very advanced AWD system.
Thanks for the information. I have a 2010 Prius which gives me great mileage, room and power when I need it. It doesn’t have the height to let me not be blinded at night by the headlights of all the SUV’s people around me seem to drive. I guess I was hoping for a lead to sort of a taller Prius in SUV form.
Best of luck with your new Outback.
“...they cell them...”
Ouch!
The day and age of the gas guzzling Bronco/Blazer type SUV getting a whopping 12 mpg are now in the stone age.
The high end version of the Outback is rated as being in the top 10 for computerized/electronic gagetry.
Voice command for things such as tuning the radio, adjusting the heater, checking the weather forcast, etc etc. Seat adjustments with a memory, that is a 10 way seat, push a button and it will assume the position for a given driver. Radar detected blind spot for left and right, rear vision camera with accompanying radar that triggers a warning buzzer if you are about to hit something, electric back hatch with memory, a AWD system that when stuck applies brakes to the spinning wheel to give traction to the stopped wheel. I can go on and on.
The Outback has a very comfortable ride, convenience features I have yet to figure out, very safe and great MPG. I suspect many higher end SUV’s have these features, but the MPG rating is what sold me on the Outback.
Go try one out.
I forget the HVAC system. Fully automatic heater/AC. Just dial the temp for either the driver or passenger and the computer does the rest. The temp output, fan speed, where the air is coming out of and whether or not the heater or AC or both are operating is computer controlled. And of course the rear window is defrosted, as well as the windshield wipers and side mirrors.
Thanks very much for the update. I’ll certainly consider Subaru when I’m ready for the next vehicle.
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.