A primary factor in the spike of car chases by the NYPD is the proliferation of vehicles with illegal paper license plates, a police chief said. 

Recent data compiled by The City, a NY1 editorial partner, revealed a significant surge in vehicle pursuits conducted by the NYPD during the initial months of 2023. 

"Every morning I wake up to something involving one of these illegal bikes or cars and paper plates," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said in an interview Monday on "Mornings on 1." 

The trend of police pursuits emerged under the leadership of Chell, who last week affirmed that officers would intensify efforts to apprehend criminal suspects attempting to flee from law enforcement. 

"People thinking they can take off on us - those days are over," he said during a press conference at NYPD headquarters on Thursday. "The days of driving around this city, lawless, doing what you think you're going to do - those days are over." 

On Monday, he further explained that the city has experienced a notable upswing in the number of "ghost vehicles," which are equipped with illegal paper license plates. When these vehicles violate traffic laws, it's nearly impossible to levy appropriate penalties, he said. 

"The main complaint everywhere I go is about illegal bikes and illegal cars. They cause traffic violence, they're uninsured, they're unregistered, they cause street violence - robberies and shootings," Chell said. 

He noted that incorporating pursuits against these law breakers has become an essential part of his apprehension strategy to put an end to the illegal behavior citywide. 

"We think we're headed in the right direction for everything we're doing. We're certainly not satisfied, but we feel good," he said.