Introduction to the Crackdown
Mayor Eric Adams oversaw the crushing of 200-plus illegal mopeds in Staten Island while Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch took fiery jabs at the New York City council.
Photo by Dean Moses
They went from mopeds to mush with a flattening, fiery fury from New York City officials.
The Destruction Process
Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch oversaw the crushing of 200-plus illegal mopeds in Staten Island Thursday as they continued the city’s ongoing campaign to get illegal mopeds off the streets.
The fleet of unlawful two-wheel rides was obliterated under the treads of one of the Sanitation Department’s massive bulldozers at the Staten Island garage on Muldoon Avenue.
Reasoning Behind the Crackdown
Mayor Adams charged that the vehicles are not only a quality of life complaint, but many of them were also used in the commission of violent crimes.
“New Yorkers have strong feelings about illegal mopeds and scooters, because we hear it all the time, especially when they are driving the wrong way down streets or sidewalks or in the dark without lights. The rise of the moped era that came after COVID-19 has terrorized many of our pedestrians, particularly our seniors and older adults, who live in fear of being run down right on their own block,” Adams said. “They have been participating in fury, snatches, phone snatches, robberies.”
Statistics on the Issue
Since the start of the Adams administration, City Hall says police have removed some 62,000 illegal vehicles from the street, with cars fixed with altered or fake license plates being among those numbers.
According to NYPD statistics, overall index crime involving mopeds from the start of the year until June fell by over 57% in 2025 compared to the same time last year. Grand larceny patterns involving mopeds are down 85% while robberies are down 70%.
Call to Action
Tisch, however, said things could be even better. She believes ATV ownership must be outlawed in New York City, and threw the ball in the City Council’s court to get something done about it.
“We need the city council’s help, too. It’s time for them to stop legislating against us and to start passing laws that are in the interest of public safety,” Tisch said, referring to the many bills the Council has passed to regulate police actions in recent years. “Simple changes can give our officers the ability to take these vehicles off the road before they pose a risk. It is common sense, and we need to get it done.”
The Destruction Event
After the speech, Tisch and Adams watched on as two bulldozers crumpled, crushed, and violently chewed up the two-wheeled vehicles, sending chunks of debris whirling into the air.
One bike even went up in flames, causing smoke to billow into the air and a DSNY worker to douse it with a fire extinguisher.
Photo by Dean Moses
So why crush the mopeds rather than, say, sell them back to the public at auction, like other items seized by the NYPD? Mayor Adams explained that it’s not about profit.
“For those that are asking, are we going to resell them? The answer is no, we don’t sell these vehicles to make a minimum profit, just so illegal vehicles can end up back on our streets. This is about public safety,” Adams said.
Conclusion
The destruction of the mopeds marks a significant step in the city’s effort to tackle the issue of illegal vehicles. With the support of the mayor and the police commissioner, the city is taking a strong stance against these vehicles and their potential to cause harm.
FAQs
Q: How many mopeds were destroyed in the crackdown?
A: Over 200 mopeds were destroyed in the crackdown.
Q: Why were the mopeds destroyed instead of being sold at auction?
A: The mopeds were destroyed because the city does not want to profit from the sale of illegal vehicles that could potentially end up back on the streets.
Q: What is the city’s goal in destroying the mopeds?
A: The city’s goal is to improve public safety by removing illegal vehicles from the streets.
