STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A team of burglars dubbed “The Crowbar Crew” has been prowling the Island in search of high-end luxury vehicles, officials warned on Thursday.
In response to the recent crime pattern, the NYPD has increased patrols to the affected areas, particularly during overnight hours. Additionally, law enforcement has increased the number of unmarked vehicles used by officers.
Detectives are working in close collaboration on this case and “will not stop until this pattern is closed and the perpetrators are in custody,” Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, the NYPD borough commander, told reporters outside the 121st Precinct stationhouse in Graniteville on Thursday afternoon.
Eger was joined by Borough President Vito Fossella and District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, the latter of whom dubbed those believed to be responsible for the crime pattern “The Crowbar Crew.”
District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, left, Borough President Vito Fossella and Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, the NYPD borough commander, speak to reporters about a crime pattern impacting Staten Island residents. The officials gathered for a press conference outside the 121st Precinct in Graniteville on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)
According to McMahon, there are about 10 crimes which have taken place recently that appear to fit this pattern. The crime spree that matches the pattern observed by law enforcement ranges from Feb. 1 through Feb. 9.
“This is a crew that carries a crowbar and uses it to try to wedge open a door or a window or a car window and try to gain access or egress into people’s homes,” the district attorney said.
“We want every Staten Islander to know that we take, as I said, the sanctity of their home seriously and anytime anyone commits these crimes we’ll do everything we can to bring the perpetrators to justice and hold them accountable the best we can under the law,” he added.
The crime pattern from this “small group” has impacted the North Shore, Mid-Island and South Shore, McMahon told the Advance/SILive.com. He noted that the criminals tend to target areas with high-end vehicles parked in the driveway.
McMahon explained that not all of these crimes have been successful.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 1, a crew allegedly attempted to break into three homes in the neighborhoods of Todt Hill and Dongan Hills, according to the NYPD.
The crew was successful in gaining access to one residence in the vicinity of East Entry Road and The Plaza in Dongan Hills, according to a previous statement by the NYPD. There, the men took about $60 and a Range Rover key fob from a desk in the dining room before fleeing in the vehicle, the NYPD said.
The NYPD is seeking the public’s help in identifying three men sought for questioning in connection to the pattern.
Anyone with information regarding this burglary pattern is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, in Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
“Your tip can be the missing piece that helps us shut down this pattern,” Eger said.
Officials urged residents to take precautions, including taking their keys and locking their vehicle.
“The message here is to Staten Island residents, be vigilant but at the same time, we know what’s going on, we’re doing everything we can to make sure we bring those people to justice so that you don’t have to wake up with a car out of your driveway,” Fossella told reporters.