By Steven Symes 
While not all cars which are stolen end up in shipping containers bound for the Middle East, Africa, or other parts of the world, many do go that route. And a new report about the Port of Newark, which has often been the leader in illegal vehicle shipping, claims the trend is only increasing.
The story about a stolen Bentley Mulsanne gets weird.
While some try to pretend the car theft trend is dying down, and in some areas it has been quelled some, overall it’s only been worsening. Actin Port Director Jeffrey Greene told CBS News New York last year authorities seized more than a vehicle a day on average.
We’ll see what the grand total for 2024 is. But the reality is only a fraction of the cars being illegally shipped are found and seized.
One example shown to CBS New York is a newer Mercedes hidden in a shipping container behind two junked vehicles. Another is a new Chevy Silverado that was reported stolen right off a dealer’s lot, destined to be shipped overseas.
In the report, authorities claim to be trying to track down who’s directing the theft and shipping of the stolen cars. That would be a good move instead of only locking up the low level guys who are doing the actual stealing and transporting. After all, those guys are easily replaced, sometimes by young kids.
And many times the ones coordinating everything who are at the top of these organized crime groups live where they’re beyond the reach of US authorities. Imagine that.
Part of the problem is that in certain countries there’s little effort to curb demand for vehicles stolen in North America, Europe, etc. The reasons for this can be complicated, but until that’s addressed the only thing we can do is try to catch those operating in this part of the world.
Image via CBS New York/YouTube
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