Besides being illegal, organized vehicle theft doesn’t always go as planned. While some thieves have pulled off luxury car heists valued at $2 million, others failed to get away with their intended target, including a group of thieves in New York City who reportedly almost sealed the deal, but ultimately slipped up in brutal fashion. As the story goes, they tried to make off with multiple vehicles, but failed to do so and banged multiple up first. One of their pricier attempted getaway cars, a McLaren, was absolutely wrecked during the botched heist.

The Manhattan heist attempt was reported by the likes of NBC New York, which explained that the situation went down at a parking garage on West 43rd Street near 11th Avenue. Four vehicles were allegedly targeted: a Range Rover, a McLaren, a Mercedes, and a Volvo. They were all pretty roughed up during the theft process. The only one not left behind near the garage was the McLaren, though this ride was smashed up the worst of all. The driver appears to have crashed it roughly a block away. It was found with a crushed front end due to a pole collision, and the airbags deployed.

At the time of publication, the individuals responsible for the failed heist are still at large. While this planned theft didn’t unfold as those involved had hoped, car theft remains a serious issue in New York City — one that city officials continue to take seriously.

As the most populated city in the United States, it’s no surprise that New York City has its share of car thieves and car theft victims. In fact, a report from the Council on Criminal Justice Mid-Year 2025 Crime Trends found that motor vehicle theft increased dramatically between 2020 and 2023. Fortunately for New York drivers, theft rates have trended downward year to year since then, but it’s still a common crime all the same. City officials remain committed to keeping the public and their vehicles safe, with notable action being taken against organized theft rings to prevent further vehicle snatching.

In March 2026, roughly a month before the failed McLaren getaway, the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force announced that a NYC stolen vehicle ring had been dismantled. Over 40 vehicles, with a cumulative worth of over $1 million, were recovered in the operation. Five individuals were apprehended and charged with 92 different crimes. This comes almost a year after news of another massive car theft ring being taken down in NYC. This one encompassed over 100 vehicles worth millions of dollars and led to the apprehension of 20 individuals.

Organized vehicle theft should be taken seriously, and those in leadership positions in New York City don’t seem to take it lightly. Even still, New York City drivers should do the right things to prevent their vehicles from being stolen, or at the very least, beaten up and crashed by those who seek to take them for their own.