Upper East Side Car Thefts Up 52 Percent
NYPD data shows stolen cars on the Upper East Side rose from 46 in 2025 to 70 in 2026 so far.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Property Crime
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The NYPD's 19th Precinct recorded 70 stolen cars on the Upper East Side in 2026 to date, compared with 46 over the same period in 2025, a 52.2 percent increase. Police logged 10 stolen car incidents in the past 28 days and 2 in the past week.
Why it matters
The rise in grand larceny auto incidents affects car owners and residents who park on the street in New York City's Upper East Side. Stolen vehicles have been concentrated in the northern part of the neighborhood, where street-side parking is common.
The 19th Precinct has logged 70 grand larceny auto cases on the Upper East Side in 2026 to date, up from 46 in 2025 over the same period. Police have not reported arrests or suspect descriptions in the available data, and the investigation status is not stated.
The players
New York City Police Department (NYPD)
The NYPD is the primary law enforcement agency for New York City, responsible for investigating crimes including grand larceny auto across its five boroughs.
The details
Most of the stolen cars were taken from street-side parking in the northern part of the Upper East Side, while parking garages were not the primary location. Police recorded 10 incidents in the 28 days leading up to November 3, 2026, and 2 incidents in the past week.
Timeline
2025: Comparison year, with 46 stolen cars recorded on the Upper East Side.
Past 28 days (as of November 3, 2026): 10 stolen car incidents recorded.
Past week (as of November 3, 2026): 2 stolen car incidents recorded.
2026 to date: 70 stolen cars recorded on the Upper East Side.
Legal Context
The increase in stolen cars on the Upper East Side is tracked through NYPD precinct-level grand larceny auto reporting, the same data series used to compare neighborhood vehicle theft trends across New York City. The 2026 figures show a sharp rise over the 2025 baseline in a single precinct, though the extraction does not place this within a citywide trend.
Car owners who park on street-side blocks in the northern Upper East Side face a higher recent risk of vehicle theft than those using garages, according to the precinct figures. The extraction does not report specific police advisories or new patrol measures for the area.
The takeaway
Vehicle owners on the Upper East Side may reduce risk by using garages where available, since recent thefts were concentrated in street-side parking. Checking local precinct reporting can help residents track changes in the coming weeks.
Further reading
For more on related incidents, see Property Crime coverage across New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Patch.
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