New-York tribune., 1922-11-26
Motorists Warned to Guard
Against Joy Hopper Raids
Many Cars Taken From Parking Places i'm Cit,
by Young Dancing Men, to Treat
Admiring Girl Friends

Automobiles throughout the metro
politan area are being warned by the
police chat ''ioy hoppers" are infesting
the streets of this city. and that those
OF the motoring population who park
taeir cars at the curb in the early eve
ming would do we'll TO beware. Com
trary to the general belief, the SOY
hopper knows no season Of rest and Is
as active in the winter as in the sum
incr, fact that scores ef autoists al
ready have learned at their expense
For the benefit of those who have not
suffered, the police definition OF the
Joy hopper" is a young man, inclined
TO the criminal walks of life. who de-
Slres TO appear as u person Of wealth,
especially SO before some young wom-
an. In his desire to attain this pose
ne temporarily appropriates somebody
else's car and takes 1T calling with him.
In these adventures the 'joy hopper''
is reported to show q somewhat Pc
leuliar psychological reaction. Accord
ing to the Police Department, which
has come in contact with multitudes of
"hoppers" in the last few months and
is therefore we'll qualified to speak on
such matters, the offenders seem un-
conscious Of the fact that they are
breaking the law. They always expect
to return the car, unless they abandon
1t first through fright. They never feel
that they have done any particular
wrong in taking somebody's car when
it isn't being used by the owner and
when there is dance being given
somewhere out in Jersey and there is
certain girl living in Brooklyn. The
deductions made by the young men are.
Take the cars, get the girls, go to the
party, cut out any possible rivals who
have no autos, and then return the
machines.
Complaints have been made by the
score from irate owners whose limou-
slnes and touring cars have been
spirited away from their curbstones,
and the number seems to be Just as
large now as during the summer.
There is almost always way of
recognizing car that has been taken
by the ''joy hopper" from one that has
been taken by a regular thief, the po-
lice say. Aside from the fact that
there is rarely any damage done and
the spare tires are intact, the little
telltaie things. remain to bear graphic
evidence of the "joy hopper" Thus
there are likely to be hairpins or pow
der puffs and whatnot in the back seat
things that no ordinary automobile
thief carries as part of his equip
ment 1t happens in almost every in
stance and the police, through an ex-
tensive study of the Coy hopper prob
lem lem, arr, are now able to distinguish att
first sight the motives for the theft.
An instance of "joy hopping" was fur
nished last week when physician on
West Twenty-seventh Street reported
to Police Headquarters that his car
had been taken from in front of his
residence while he was at dinner. The
number and description of the car were
filed at headquarters and the next
morning came the report from the
police department of Elizabeth that
three youths from Manhattan had been
apprehended the night before for driv-
ing car without sufficient head lights.
Upon investigation the youths were dis
covered TO be driving without licenses
and furthermore driving car which
did not belong to any one Of them.
Detective Walter Eason went to
Elizabeth. The youths were indicted
and are now awaiting extradition to
this state charged with a crime which
has no mention of "joy~aopping. The