SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Cicero Police and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office began their morning Tuesday at a Citgo in North Syracuse, before traveling to Driver’s Village in Cicero, where a chaotic scene unfolded.
At 3:30 a.m. they received a call about some burglaries at Driver’s Village in Cicero, and once they arrived, Cicero Police’s Lieutenant James Meyers said it looked like something “you’d see out of a movie scene.”
“The business windows, doors smashed in, cars missing from in the showroom,” said Lieutenant Meyers.
Lieutenant Meyers explained that it appeared to them that a large group of individuals broke their way into Driver’s Village, proceeded to find keys to the cars in the showroom and then drove them directly through the front door of the buildings.
“Just utter carnage. Thousands upon hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage probably at each of the businesses,” said Lieutenant Meyers.
The individuals stole two cars from Burdick Dodge and another from Burdick Lexus, all brand new with tracking technology.
WATCH: Video of stolen vehicle driven through dealership windows
Interior view
Exterior view
From Burdick Lexus Dealership
A 2023 Lexus RC350 was taken and crashed through the dealership windows. The suspects drove away with the vehicle.
From Burdick Dodge Dealership
A Dodge Challenger and Jeep Grand Wagoner were stolen.
All three vehicles were soon recovered by police miles away on the city’s northside.
Watch the entire interview with Lt. Meyers below
Lieutenant Meyers says both the Cicero Police Department and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office are working together to solve the crimes. The investigation is active and ongoing.
“When I was getting the information this morning I had to ask, did they really drive these vehicles through the front doors and answer, yes. Directly through the doors. Literally like you’d see out of a movie scene,” said Lieutenant Meyers.
When asked if this is a crime ring, Lieutenant Meyers replied that the term should be used loosely.
“These cars were all stolen. These cars were all recovered hours later in the city. Organized so-called crime rings would be stealing these for more than just a hobby. They would be shipping these cars off, using parts, not just dumping them in the city a few hours later,” he said.
This isn’t the first time a commercial business has seen burglaries and damages.
Vandals have been repeatedly smashing out windows at CAGO auto on Erie Boulevard East for months, and despite sharing video with police and making security upgrades, they are now up to 22 damaged vehicles.
“We’re seeing a lot of this. We’re having a lot of commercial businesses smashed in, things broken into, rummaged through. We are finding it to be a lot of juvenile age,” explained Lieutenant Meyers. “It’s been a very busy summer so far. With a lot of these brazen crimes occurring, mainly for businesses for town and county.”
Currently, no arrests have been made, as it is early into the investigation.
Another burglary happened at Jack McNerney Chevrolet in Tully later that morning.
The burglaries didn’t stop in Cicero, as another burglary occurred Tuesday morning at McNerney Chevrolet at 363 State Route 281 in Tully.
NYSP Troop D Public Information Officer Jack Keller says State Police in Lafayette were dispatched around 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday for a report of suspicious persons in the parking lot.
Upon arrival and initial investigation, the troopers discovered several subjects had burglarized the dealership and stolen keys belonging to two vehicles in the parking lot, a Chevrolet Equinox and Chevrolet Silverado, and drove away.
Shortly after, a passerby observed the stolen cars on the shoulder of I-81 in Tully where Troopers responded and followed the stolen cars, traveling northbound on I-81.
Troopers then conducted a traffic stop and the Silverado pulled over, but the Equinox continued, leading Troopers on a chase for approximately eight miles, losing them, and then minutes later, crashed with an un-involved vehicle near the on-ramp (Brighton Avenue) on I-81 northbound in Syracuse.
Before troopers could get to the suspects in the Silverado and Equinox, they escaped and are currently on the loose.
State Police were assisted at the scene by the Syracuse Police Department and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
Are the Driver’s Village and Jack McNerney Chevrolet burglaries related?
Assuming the obvious, is there a relationship with the string of robberies?
Lieutenant Meyers said they could be, but they haven’t gotten that far yet. It is too early to say.
Here is how you can help:
Police were tipped off by a witness who had driven by Driver’s Village after the burglary.
- Tips are always key
- Small or large, call 911, you will get the fastest response that way
- Onondaga County Sherriff’s Office Number: (315) 435-3044
- Cicero Police Department’s Number: (315) 699-3677
