In Brooklyn, the phenomenon of using roadside public parking spaces to display second-hand cars for sale has been a long-standing issue in various communities, turning some streets into “mini second-hand car markets” and exacerbating parking difficulties for local residents. Recently, with the establishment of the New York City Police Department’s new “Quality of Life Team” (Q Team) in Brooklyn, a comprehensive crackdown on illegal electric bikes, noise disturbances, and unauthorized parking has been launched, with cracking down on “ghost cars” and illegal car sales being a key focus.
According to Mr. Ceng, Vice Chairman of the Community Board of the 61st Precinct in Brooklyn, “ghost cars” are mostly unlicensed, licensed with fake plates, or uninsured vehicles. Some of them display temporary paper plates, out-of-state fake plates, or the “20-day temporary vehicle inspection number” from Alabama. Common characteristics include: no valid registration sticker on the windshield, paper temporary plates, out-of-state plates without verifiable registration records, or expired inspection stickers.
The danger of “ghost cars” lies not only in occupying parking spaces but also in the potential risk of being driven recklessly on the streets. These cars lack locks and insurance, and in case of accidents involving pedestrians or other vehicles, victims have no means of seeking liability. Mr. Ceng pointed out that many residents have complained that the streets are filled with ghost cars, leaving little space for those who actually live in the area to park.
He mentioned that many ghost cars come from out-of-state second-hand car markets, some of which have been damaged by water or accidents, undergone mileage tampering or other alterations before flowing into New York City. They are left on the streets by operators for an extended period to occupy public parking spaces, as they do not need to be parked inside car dealerships (or do not want to incur the cost of using parking lots).
Mr. Ceng urged residents to report suspected ghost cars by calling 311, as the police will dispatch the “Quality of Life Team” to inspect and tow away the vehicles directly upon confirming the violations.
He cited an example where the police towed away dozens of cars with fake out-of-state plates in the Avenue X area, most of which belonged to the same used car dealership. During a patrol led by him along Avenue X, 21st Street, and 23rd Street, multiple cars with fake New Jersey plates were discovered, all of which were photographed for evidence and handed over to the police station. The next day, the police towed away dozens of vehicles, as “the streets were almost filled with these types of fake plate cars.”
Back in 2018, a reporter from this newspaper visited the Eighth Avenue area in Brooklyn and found multiple cars for sale occupying street parking spaces near 50th Street and Ninth Avenue for an extended period, with their rear windows marked with paint indicating the year, price, and contact information. Local residents at the time expressed that parking spaces were already scarce, and these for-sale cars not moving only made it harder for residents, hospital visitors, and parents going to kindergartens to find parking spaces.
However, due to the current regulations lacking direct penalties for vehicles with valid plates, the police were often limited in their enforcement efforts. The police explained that officers could verify the validity of the license plates or inspection numbers through the system, and if found invalid or expired, they could be towed as abandoned vehicles. However, as long as the plates were legitimate and the owners did not directly receive payments on the street, it was challenging for the police to enforce the law.
Now, with the deployment of the “Quality of Life Team,” the police emphasize they will rigorously inspect suspected ghost cars on the streets and collaborate with citizen reporting initiatives to return the streets to the public, improving the community’s parking environment and traffic order.