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Though the Upper East Side is usually considered one of the city’s safer neighborhoods, a spate of tire thefts—including a few reportedly in broad daylight—has been consistently hitting the area.
Thieves are stealing tires and rims during the overnight hours, including here on the Upper East Side.
We’ve implemented a plan to put an end to it and arrest those responsible — If you see anyone suspicious around or under a parked car, please call 9-1-1 immediately! pic.twitter.com/1PI1kwpt6M
— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) July 25, 2025
On July 16, the New York Post reported that a car parked near Gracie Mansion had all four of its tires stolen, as well as its wheel locks, overnight on East 86th Street and York Avenue, mere blocks from the mayor’s residence. The car was a white Honda CRV.
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The victim, only identified as Anna K., told the Post she didn’t feel safe in the neighborhood anymore.
“It’s a typical day around here,” elevator mechanic Kim Harris, 44, told The Post at the time. “They pull up right next to your car… it’s like an express tire shop that you didn’t ask for.”
Meanwhile, the CRV owner’s boyfriend called the incident a return to the “bad old days.”
“I’m here 40 years in this building, and I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said. “I think we live in a very safe area over here, the mayor’s here, the police department is here … this is the first time I’ve encountered anything like this in this neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, Reddit users on the site’s r/uppereastside subreddit have been consistently documenting other alleged instances of tire theft. One post claimed a tire theft occurred on July 24 at 75th Street and Third Avenue; another post alleged a tire theft the next day on 89th Street between Third Avenue and Lexington Avenue.
Tire theft 7/24, 75th & 3rd
byu/Miserable-Luck-4849 inuppereastside
“Right in front of a doorman building? And nobody saw anything?” one commenter lamented. “This is like the 4th post I’ve seen today. All different cars in the same area,” chimed another.
These incidents seem to be happening despite the New York Police Department just months ago announcing historic reductions in crime across the city during the First Quarter of 2025.
“In this quarter, robbery dropped 22.8% (3,074 vs. 3,981), grand larceny declined 13.7% (10,226 vs. 11,855), auto theft was down 11.9% (2,773 vs. 3,148), burglary was down 4.4% (3,043 vs. 3,184), and felony assault fell 2.7% (6,361 vs. 6,535),” a press release by the NYPD from April 3 stated, adding that “major crimes” were down in all five boroughs.
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