RELEASE: Gottheimer Reintroduces Bipartisan CARS Act to Combat Organized Auto Theft

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Reintroduces Bipartisan CARS Act to Combat Organized Auto Theft Legislation Would Re-Establish a National Auto Theft Bureau to Help Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Crack Down on Auto Theft Rings Oct 22, 2026 Press WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Thursday, October 22, 2026, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) reintroduced the bipartisan Combatting Auto Robbery at the Source, or CARS Act, to re-establish a National Auto Theft Bureau (NATB). The bill is co-led by Representative Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). “Auto theft isn’t just a property crime. It’s often run by organized rings that move stolen cars across state lines and out through our ports, and it puts families at risk, including in carjackings. Our law enforcement is doing everything it can, but they need a national clearinghouse to connect the dots in real time. The CARS Act will give them the intelligence, training, and resources to stop these criminals. To our law enforcement and the victims of auto theft here in Jersey, know that I stand with you,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “In recent years, we have seen an increase in car thefts across the tristate area, making New Yorkers feel less safe and negatively impacting their quality of life. License plate scanners I allocated funding for have helped identify and recover stolen vehicles. However, once these vehicles leave the city, it becomes harder,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). “We know that many end up on ships at New Jersey ports and then are sold in other countries. By creating a national anti-auto theft bureau and strengthening coordination at all levels, law enforcement can better combat auto theft across the tristate area.” The NATB would facilitate increased information sharing and collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement to better combat sophisticated, multistate and multinational auto theft rings. Gottheimer first introduced the CARS Act in April 2024 after touring the New Jersey State Police Real Time Crime Center, a state-of-the-art facility that unites the flow of information among state, county, and local law enforcement by distributing information on auto thefts and crime in real time. In New Jersey, more than 1300 cars were stolen in 2025. Gottheimer’s Bipartisan CARS Act will: Reinstate the National Auto Theft Bureau as a national clearinghouse for auto theft data. This will help our local, state, and federal law enforcement share information in real time. Provide training, resources, and recommendations to private industry, the public, and law enforcement agencies on how to combat auto theft, including but not limited to specific designs that make a car more vulnerable to theft and online trends regarding auto theft. Deliver grants to law enforcement agencies around the country to improve information sharing and implement best practices that have already been proven to mitigate car theft. Gottheimer has long worked to fully equip law enforcement and crack down on auto theft. In April 2023, he convened a roundtable with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Port Newark leadership, and state and local law enforcement on collaborative efforts to combat the surge in auto theft and carjacking. He previously held a roundtable with local law enforcement on the broader increase in burglaries and thefts. In 2022, he demanded that DHS step up enforcement against interstate and international carjacking and auto theft, which has resulted in new federal, state, and local operations to recover stolen vehicles. ### Share on