Jonathan Delozier: Is deed theft getting worse or is public awareness finally catching up to the full extent of the problem? Scott Kohanowski: I think this has always existed, and I think real estate empires have been built on deed theft, scam and predation that’s been targeting distressed communities, especially. There hasn’t been, in New York City, a centralized agency or office that addresses all the various forms of deed theft. Delozier: How is deed theft affecting heirs’ property transactions? Delozier: Data fragmentation seems to be a big enabler of deed theft and all forms of real estate fraud.