Richard Hobbs waits for his next court appearance after cops allegedly caught him stealing a car on Woodhaven Boulevard last month. Photo courtesy NYPD
An alleged area auto thief is stewing in jail this week thanks largely to the high bail set by the presiding judge at arraignment.
Richard Hobbs, 27, was arrested last Monday afternoon after plainclothes officers observed the Lindenwood man passed out behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle at the intersection of 88th Street and 97th Avenue, according to the NYPD. Hobbs had allegedly pilfered the car that morning on Woodhaven Boulevard. Bail was set at $30,000 or $60,000 bond.
“We conferred with the Queens District Attorney’s office,” said Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct. “We worked through the case and felt high bail should be set because [Hobbs] is committing a high amount of crimes in such a short period of time, and the people of Howard Beach-Lindenwood have been suffering as a result.”
Hobbs, who according to Schiff is a known drug addict, served three months on Rikers Island earlier this year on a theft charge and has several open cases.
“When we brought all these facts to the DA, they thought high bail was appropriate,” Schiff said. “They’re pursuing an aggressive prosecution and that’s what we need them to do.”
Hobbs’ next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 9.
The latest Hobbs case once again brought vehicle theft to the forefront of the 106th Precinct crime story. Grand larceny auto offenses are up nearly 40 percent this year compared to this time last year, according to the latest available CompStat numbers. And Schiff said his command is in the bottom five precincts in that category overall. Schiff also noted that in many of those cases—“about 30 percent, I believe”—the targeted vehicles were idling and unattended, or the keys were left in the ignition or console.
By Michael Cusenza
