A social media posting that claimed that there had been a rash of carjackings across Long Island in recent weeks was debunked by the Nassau County Police Department earlier this month.
NCPD Commissioner Patrick Ryder issued a letter in response to a Facebook post that he said had falsely alarmed residents in early June by claiming that there had been dozens of ‘car bump’ robberies and carjackings recently. He said he wrote the letter to “directly inform the community that this is completely unfounded” and to reassure the public.
Furthermore, Ryder said that the police department has a vast number of officers on patrol and that such a pattern has not emerged.
“The Nassau County Police Department has a robust network of patrol officers who maintain an unparalleled level of security in our county,” Ryder wrote. “In addition, we deploy specialized units dedicated to identifying and immediately addressing any specific increases in criminal activity.”
“If our department becomes aware of any credible threats to the region, we will immediately disseminate that information to the community,” Ryder noted. He also discouraged residents from re-sharing the post, which he said had “incorporated sensational details designed to create fear,” and is ultimately “perpetuating unfounded rumors.”
The Facebook post in question, which went viral, states that “both law enforcement personnels [sic]” in Nassau and Suffolk Counties had been warning residents of “a new scam by migrants” to gently rear-end luxury vehicles on Long Island and then car-jack them after the vehicles came to a stop.
The post, which appears to be linked to AI-managed content farm websites, falsely claims that more than 50 such incidents had recently happened in Suffolk, and that thieves were “targeting luxury vehicles driven by females” in Nassau communities. The post, which had been shared 169 times, goes on to state that area residents who get rear-ended on the roads should “try reverse without moving and take the plate number.”
The Facebook post goes on to claim that Long Island police had stated that “all are migrants from Venezuelan gangs who are freed to cross the open borders in Texas that’s set by America’s favorite president Biden.” Anton Media Group was unable to reach the owner of the associated Facebook account, which is listed under the name Laura Uhle, for comment.
In recent years, Nassau County police have said that Venezuelan immigrants have been responsible for many catalytic converter thefts across Long Island. However, police have made no such comment regarding car-jackings, of which there have been very few cases on Long Island each year.
