A DRIVER found parking tickets in his mail after a spree of illegal road activities were caught on police cameras with his license plates.
The motorist is fighting back against the fines – he said the license plate was stolen before another driver incurred the tickets.
“Someone is riding around the Bronx, and I’m getting tickets,” Richard King, the driver who alleged his plates were stolen, said to New York’s Nexstar affiliate WPIX.
The license plate was reported missing to the New York City Police last year, King said.
Police confirmed to the network that King’s former license plate has been marked “stolen” in their system.
But it hasn’t stopped road authorities from holding King accountable for laws he hasn’t broken.
King received several tickets in his mail after a motorcycle was caught in the burough racing through red lights with his plates.
The motorcyclist also incurred two tickets while parked in the same area.
King said he has gone to the neighborhood to scout for his license plates to no avail.
He is afraid the constantly recurring tickets will escalate the city’s response.
“I would like it to the be wiped off as soon as I reported it stolen,” King said.
“If I don’t pay, they can boot my truck.”
A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Finance told the publication drivers experiencing similar problems can contact the Office of the Parking Summons Advocate.
However, King said he has taken several trips to the DMV to refute the fines.
His claims have all resulted in waived parking fees.
NYC CAR THEFT
City officials have sent dozens of warnings to NYC drivers after a wave of thefts hit vehicles.
Catalytic converters, a key part of a gas-car’s exhaust system, have seen a dramatic increase of theft in the recent past.
The component, typically made with rare metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium, can sell for thousands on the second-hand market.
Theft claims involving catalytic converters rose 1,215% between 2019 and 2022, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Police recommended drivers etch their license plate or vehicle identification number (VIN) into the part to ensure difficulty with after-market sales.
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