Autoblog

Infographic: LoJack releases 2011 Auto Theft Report

Zach Bowman — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Technology

By all accounts, vehicle theft is down to some of the lowest levels in over 25 years. Even so, cars are still getting pilfered every day, and LoJack has gone through the trouble of crafting a detailed infographic displaying some of the more interesting information associated with the 10,251 LoJack-equipped vehicles that were stolen and then recovered last year. The company says that, of all vehicles equipped with the theft recovery system, 92 percent are brought back to their rightful owners. Last year, the most stolen and recovered 2011 model was the ubiquitous 2011 Toyota Camry, while the Honda Accord took the top slot overall.

The oldest model saved from the clutches of thieves in 2011 was a 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline, while the priciest of them all was a 2010 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG worth $116,825. Not too shabby.

Not surprisingly, California led the list of states with the most stolen and recovered vehicles, with Texas, Florida, New York and New Jersey fleshing out the top five. The full, expanded infographic can be seen below.

Continue reading Infographic: LoJack releases 2011 Auto Theft Report

Infographic: LoJack releases 2011 Auto Theft Report originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auto theft drops to lowest level since 1967

Zach Bowman — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Vehicle theft in the U.S. fell by 7.2 percent in 2010. Around 737,404 vehicles were stolen last year, compared to the 794,616 autos pilfered in 2009. That marks the lowest number of stolen vehicles in the U.S. of A. since 1967, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Why the decline? New York City, Detroit, Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles - all previous hot beds for grand theft auto - saw their numbers drop in 2010, and Automotive News reports that new anti-theft technology is going a long way toward curbing the crime.

With several insurance companies offering discounts to customers who install anti-theft systems from LoJack or Ravelco, there's more incentive than ever to protect yourself from car thieves. In addition, the NICB says that cars today are simply more difficult to steal than they were 10 years ago.

Law enforcement has also stepped up its game by using bait vehicles to lure in possible thieves. Officers stake out a vehicle with its windows down and its keys in the ignition and wait for crooks to come by. It's apparently working.

Auto theft drops to lowest level since 1967 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: New Year's Day still worst for car thefts

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Christmas day is not just for giving, it's also for not stealing. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, December 25th is the day many thieves take a break from stealing cars. Very kind of them, no? But here's the bad news: those thieves are just postponing their nefarious ways for a week. That's right, New Year's Day is the worst holiday for car thefts.

Here's some raw data: 2,760 vehicles were reported stolen in the United States on January 1st, 2009, and 2,189 were stolen on New Year's Eve. Naturally, this year is expected to pretty much follow suit, though the actual number of stolen vehicles is expected to fall for the seventh straight year.

What can you do to combat the problem? Mostly just exercise some common sense. The NCIB recommends the following: parking in well-lit areas, keeping packages in the trunk or out of sight, and making sure your vehicle is locked while it's parked. Or you could just drive an unstealable car... Check out the complete press release after the break.

[Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau | Image: Peter Dazeley/Getty]

Continue reading PSA: New Year's Day still worst for car thefts

PSA: New Year's Day still worst for car thefts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TN Court: Person who left keys in car responsible when it gets stolen

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Do you occasionally leave your keys in the car? We all have at one point, be it just running in to the ATM or stopping by a friend's house to drop off a borrowed tool. In that short time you are out of the vehicle, it's quite possible that someone could be watching and take off with your wheels. Since the new "owner" probably doesn't care too much about your vehicle and may be trying to escape from the authorities, it isn't too hard to see how the stolen vehicle could end up in a collision or as the focal point of a tragic accident. If all of the above happens and you live in Tennessee, then prepare to have your cash reserves depleted.

A suit was brought against a man who left his keys in his car, which was promptly stolen and then collided with another vehicle causing injuries to three passengers. Initially, the lawsuit was filed against the city of Murfreesboro and its police department- however, that suit was dismissed by the Tennessee Court of Appeals. But the court is allowing the suit against the owners of the vehicle to continue.

"Negligence" is the Word of the Day for Rubye Jarrell, the registered owner of the car and grandmother to Joseph D. Ash Jr., who apparently left the keys inside. According to the appeals court, it does not matter if the keys were in the ignition or somewhere in plain sight, Jarrell is still liable.

What do you think - should Jarrell be deemed negligent and face legal consequences? Have your say in Comments.

[Source: The Associated Press via Tennessean | Image: fourbyfourblazer | CC 2.0]

TN Court: Person who left keys in car responsible when it gets stolen originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Safety, Technology, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

Mopar, the motor parts division of Chrysler, has enjoyed a nice long run providing parts and accessories for the entire Pentastar family. Whether you own a muscle car or a muscular off-roader, the Mopar catalog has you covered. Now it's venturing into a new arena with the launch of the Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System, or EVTS.

A vehicle is not an inexpensive asset and it's smart to want to protect it. The EVTS allows you to do just that. There are three plans available - Base, Silver and Gold. Each offers an increasing level of protection and service. The Base plan features a GPS vehicle locator, real-time tracking if your vehicle is stolen and a $1,000 theft-protection warranty. Silver ups the ante by including text-based alerts for parents. If a set speed limit or distance cap is exceeded, the owner gets a text message ("OMG, Billy juz hit 107 mph! Hez gonna get spanked, LOL!!!"). In addition to the warning alerts, the Silver plan provides arrival and departure notices, a map of locations visited, an available 24/7 emergency service contact, automatic theft notification and an on-board panic button. The top-tier Gold plan has all of those features but adds unlimited online tracking and a concierge service. The concierge allows the owner to call for directions, make reservations and assistance for other personal queries.

The Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System starts at $495, not including installation. The Silver and Gold plans require an additional yearly subscription priced at $149 and $249, respectively. Quite wisely, Mopar built the system to be transferable and upgradeable. Check out the press release after the jump for more details.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top ten stolen vehicles of 2009

Zach Bowman — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

It's that time of year again. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has just released its top 10 stolen vehicles from 2009, and once again, the most stolen vehicle in the U.S. continues to be the 1994 Honda Accord. In fact, all but three vehicles retained the same slots on the list as they held last year. Newcomers include the 1994 Chevrolet full-size pickup at number 7, the 2002 Ford Explorer at number 9 and the 2009 Toyota Corolla at number 10. The '02 Explorer moved up one notch from last year, and both the 1999 Ford Taurus and 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee dropped off of the list all together.

The FBI recently released a study finding vehicle theft in the United States was at its lowest point in nearly 20 years, though recovery rates were similarly lower than ever, too. NCIB says that may be due to the fact that the majority of vehicles stolen today are immediately cut up for parts instead of being resold as whole vehicles. Like the FBI, NICB recommends owners use common sense by locking their vehicles, installing a warning or immobilization device and considering a tracking mechanism. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: NICB Most Stolen Vehicles of 2009

[Source: NCIB]

Continue reading Top ten stolen vehicles of 2009

Top ten stolen vehicles of 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infographic: The Unstealable Car

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

What a theft-proof car requires - Click above to view the image after the jump

According to HomeSecurity.net, one million vehicles (worth a total of $7.5 billion) were stolen in the United States last year. If you don't want to join a top ten list of vehicles dominated by Honda and Toyota, there are seven key technologies you'd install to create "The Ultimate Theft-Proof Car." No, one of them isn't The Club.

Leading the way is a radio-frequency transmitter, which is alone responsible for 90 percent of theft recoveries. Following that are a secure identification device like a fingerprint reader, some sort of GPS tracking system, SIM-card operated GSM communications that allow the car to call its owner when broken into, an interior motion detector, keyless entry and a passive immobilizer. Or you could just get an Abrams M1 tank - we hear they're pretty hard to lift. Follow the jump for the complete infographic.

[Source: HomeSecurity.net]

Continue reading Infographic: The Unstealable Car

Infographic: The Unstealable Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDLI: Cadillac Escalade top target for thieves

Zach Bowman — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, SUV, Truck, Cadillac, Ford, Infiniti, Luxury

The Highway Data Loss Institute has churned out its official list of vehicles with the highest and lowest insurance claims for theft. The study combines the rate of insurance claims per vehicle as well as the cost of those claims, helping companies that supply coverage determine exactly how much to charge us poor saps. The Cadillac Escalade took top honors this year with $146 in theft loss payments per insured vehicle, per year. On average, insurance companies pay out around $11,934 per theft claim when it comes to the Escalade with 10.8 of the SUVs stolen per 1,000 vehicles. That's more than 10 times the theft rate of the vehicle with the lowest theft losses - the Volvo S80.

In fact, of the top 10 vehicles on the Highway Data Loss Institute's list, six were of General Motors origin. How do the thieves get around the bad-guy battling OnStar vehicle immobilization? Easy. They load the coveted SUVs onto a flat bed and drive away.

The 2008-2009 Ford F-250 crew cab four-wheel drive took the silver when it came to vehicles with the highest theft loss, followed by the 2008-2009 Infiniti G37 coupe. Hit the jump to see if your vehicle's on the list.

[Source: Highway Data Loss Institute]

Continue reading HDLI: Cadillac Escalade top target for thieves

HDLI: Cadillac Escalade top target for thieves originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lock Those Doors: New Year's Day the worst holiday for stolen cars?

Dan Roth — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Maybe it's the mass inebriation that makes it easier, but New Year's Eve is apparently hottest holiday for car theft. If the whole world is already sleeping it off, there's no way anybody is going to pay heed to your stupid alarm, perhaps.

As proof, our corporate cousins at AOL Autos breaks down the car theft rates for various holidays, and New Year's bookends the list of eleven days. While New Year's Eve is relatively quiet, New Year's Day is three times as active. The second-most active car theft day? Labor Day - again, another event that tends to involve plenty of imbibing and a good dose of "hey, watch this." With Halloween in third, it would be interesting to see how many of these thefts were mere joyrides, and how many were determined thieves looking for 1994 Honda Accords (the most stolen car last year) to feed the chop shops.

Many cars are easily stolen because of a lack of owner vigilance. Things like leaving your keys inside the car, even if it's just at home, are about the same as a blinking neon sign on the roof saying "steal me." Josh Max works up a good list of Dos and Don'ts - and if you don't want your car stolen this New Year's season, AOL Autos has tips, whatever the reason.

[Source: AOL Autos | Image: Tuppus - C.C. License 2.0]

Lock Those Doors: New Year's Day the worst holiday for stolen cars? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW Bus stolen 35 years ago returned in mint condition... to Allstate

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Budget, Minivan/Van, Europe, Volkswagen

In 1974, this 1965 Volkswagen Type 2 (a.k.a. 'Bus') was stolen from Washington State. Fast-forward to October 19 of this year and custom agents at the Port of Los Angeles open up a container bound for Europe only to rediscover said van. Somehow, the Bus's VIN was still in the LAPD's stolen vehicle database. Guess which 1965 Type 2 is no longer headed for Europe?

Here's where it gets a little bit foggy, a little bit weird. According to the Los Angeles Times, the cops and the feds can't find the original owner. And the gentleman that restored the thirteen-window Bus to such pristine condition and who was planning on shipping said Bus back to the fatherland is also a victim of the theft - meaning he's off the hook, but out of money. Because way back in 1974, Allstate ("You're in good hands") Insurance paid the then owner $2,500 for the stolen Volkswagen. Which means that Allstate is winding up with the Bus.

Update: The original owner has been located! Her name is Michelle Squires and yes, she would like her Bus back. The reason that she couldn't be located at first is because her last name used to be Carlson. Says Squires, "I don't know if I could afford it because the restored bus is supposed to be around $25,000 now, but I would like the opportunity to talk to Allstate to see if I could get it back." While we think it would be a stellar PR coup for Allstate, Squires should probably prepare to stay separated from her van.

[Source: Los Angeles Times | Image: Department of Homeland Security]

VW Bus stolen 35 years ago returned in mint condition... to Allstate originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: FBI busts up $25M car cloning ring

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Safety

The Federal Bureau of Investigations has shut down a car theft ring operating in the U.S. for more than 20 years, causing in excess of $25 million in losses to owners and banks. According to CNN, the ring would clone cars, swiping the legal identity of one car - VIN numbers, tags, stickers -- and applying it to another, stolen car. The cloned car would then be sold to a dealer or consumer, and the countdown would begin: Eventually, most would be discovered as stolen property and confiscated, but the buyer would remain on the hook for the money owed.

For example, a man in Florida bought a Ford F-350 Super Duty for $27,000 last year from a used car dealer. Nine months later, it was tracked down and confiscated, but the bank has told the owner that he's still on the hook for the loan for a vehicle he no longer has.

Although the FBI admonishes, "Folks should be educated enough so that they don't buy a car from a stranger, on the street, or in a back alley somewhere," that might be a bit much, and the Super Duty owner bought the car at a used car lot. All kinds of private and public buyers have been taken, so do all of the research you can, and definitely don't buy your car in a back alley somewhere - the FBI got that much right! Hot tip, Jan.

Have you ever suffered an automobile-related theft? Take our poll after the jump!

[Source: CNN]

Continue reading REPORT: FBI busts up $25M car cloning ring

REPORT: FBI busts up $25M car cloning ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve McQueen's stolen Cadillac recovered

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Cadillac, Celebrities

A busted car theft ring has turned up a vintage Cadillac once owned by one of the Magnificent Seven. The five-finger-discount drivers out of Colorado, headed by Jeffrey Earle Piper, would steal expensive rental cars, change their VIN numbers and "sell" them. The new "owner", who was in on the whole thing, would then report "his" car stolen and collect on the insurance policy. One of the cars found among the loot: a $133,000 1959 Cadillac - looks like a Series 62 convertible - that once belonged to Steve McQueen. It's other claim to fame: a guest spot on the TV show MacGuyver. The mystery we're still trying to solve is which one of its owners put the Yeti pelt over the driver's seat? Hat tip to Derek!

[Source: Denver Post]

Steve McQueen's stolen Cadillac recovered originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in 2008

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Government/Legal

Drumroll please! The 2008 Top 10 most popular cars among car thieves are... The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute recently released their list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles for 2008, and trucks and SUVs are the biggest target. We wonder if this might reflect some people finding a nefarious way to dispose of their gas-guzzler and collect the insurance money. Hopefully that's not the case, but seriously, if you were a car thief, would you want a land yacht instead of a canyon carver?

For whatever reasons, the most targeted vehicles aren't necessarily the most drool-worthy ones on the road. Thieves tend to go after vehicles that easily blend in with traffic, can be sold for parts or are popular in foreign markets where they can be dumped quickly. Big vehicles also tend to spend more time parked in driveways or on the street rather than in garages, so they're more easily accessible by naydoers. The IIHS looks at insurance-claim reports to determine theft-frequency rates and compile the Most Stolen Vehicle list. The figures are reported in number of claims filed for every 1,000 vehicles insured each year, and this most recent report covers vehicles made and sold between 2005 and 2007.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Police find "stolen car graveyard" in Washington lake

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Finding a stash of vehicles left to rot can be exciting, like if they're in a barn and they're vintage and would have some high collectible value once fixed up. Finding a stash of cars left to rot at the bottom of a lake, well, that's a downer for everyone. Authorities in Camas, Washington (the state) recently pulled five gutted cars from Lacamas Lake, all of which had been stolen: two Hondas, two Acuras, and a Chevy Tahoe. The lake's water level is low this time of year, which allowed boaters to see the cars underwater. It's the second time the police have had to do salvage duty in the same lake for the same reason, and by their own accounts it is a "stolen car graveyard." If you live in Oregon's greater Vancouver area where the cars were stolen, it could be time to invest in... a snorkel. Thanks for the tip, Thom!

[Source: KPTV]

Police find "stolen car graveyard" in Washington lake originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lesson of the day: Don't hide your spare keys in your car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:18:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, BMW, Hummer

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it's probably not a good idea to hide the spare keys for your first and second car inside your... uh, car. Perhaps you can already tell where we're going with this... for the sake of the story, though, we'll continue. What might happen if your car were stolen? You'd be giving a thief keys to the car they just stole, plus, as a bonus, the keys to your other car.

Unfortunately for at least one man, the scenario in the preceding paragraph is a true story. "We believe the keys for both vehicles may have been inside the initial vehicle that was stolen," said Cornwall police spokesman Blake Paquin, who added, "We never recommend hiding keys in a vehicle." The spare keys for the man's 2002 BMW 325 were hidden in his 2003 Hummer H2, which led to the theft of both vehicles... within the same hour. Doh!

[Source: Andrew Seymour / Ottawa Citizen]

Lesson of the day: Don't hide your spare keys in your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon State Police return a '40 Plymouth sedan stolen 21 years earlier

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Browsing through eBay, it us quite common to come across an ad for an older car that is without a title. Before bidding on the item, perhaps it would be a good idea to make sure that the seller has the right to sell the car. Case in point: Bruce Rask of Rainier, Oregon just received his 1940 Plymouth sedan back 21 years after it was originally reported stolen. It is unclear where the car went after being stolen in August of 1986, but it was recently purchased by a man in Sheridan, Oregon who bought the car without a title. Despite the fact that the man who purchased the car did not know that it was stolen, he very well may be out the money he spent on the car, as it is being return to Rask, the rightful owner.

Trooper Jeff Dickerson of the Oregon State Police says, "Never buy a motor vehicle from a third party without a title to the car. If the seller is unable to provide a title to the vehicle, there is a very good chance the seller is not authorized to be making the sale at all. You could end up losing what you paid for the vehicle if it can be shown it actually belongs to someone else." This story brings meaning to the saying, "Buyer Beware"!

[Source: KATU News - Portland, Oregon]

Oregon State Police return a '40 Plymouth sedan stolen 21 years earlier originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taking Liberty: Car thief blunders big-time with trade-in

Alex Nunez — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Jeep

Today's tale involving the questionable decision-making skills of criminals comes from Norwalk, CT. It seems that one Jazrahel King had visited the Wholesalers of America used car lot on Main Street in the hopes of test driving some vehicles. The staff at the dealership nixed the drives, however, after discovering that Mr. King had some issues with his credit.

According to sales manager Diego Coleman, this particular setback did not exactly deter King, who was seen by staffers walking around the lot at the same time Coleman was prepping a recently-sold 2003 Jeep Liberty for customer pick-up. The Jeep, which had the keys in it, must have been left unattended for a moment, because the next thing anyone knew was that both the SUV and Jazrahel King were history.

Read on to learn how not to flip your boost.

[Source: AP via the Connecticut Post]

Continue reading Taking Liberty: Car thief blunders big-time with trade-in

Taking Liberty: Car thief blunders big-time with trade-in originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby GT350 stolen 26 years ago returned to insurance company, not owner

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Government/Legal

From the bible of the collector car world comes a cautionary tale of a stolen Shelby and a good lesson in caveat emptor. John Draneas of Collector Car Market recounts the story of a 1965 Shelby GT350 that was stolen back in 1979. The insurance company paid the owner $6500 and the vehicle was never seen from again. Well, not with its original serial number at any rate. While running a cursory check of eBay, Shelby American Automobile Club Registrar Howard Pardee came across a nice looking '65 GT350. With a little legwork, he discovered that the car had been reported stolen and unrecovered back in 1979. He contacted the eBay seller and that's when things got really interesting.

The seller had purchased the car in 1980 with a reproduction Shelby serial number tag and a seemingly clean New York title. Pardee also tracked down the original owner who was shocked to learn his Shelby was on eBay and more amazed that, although the bidding was only at $121,000, the value of the car might be closer to $150,000 or even $175,000. He contacted his insurance company and the police and wanted his car back. The car was taken off eBay and impounded, but didn't go back to the original owner. The insurance company had already paid off that claim a long time ago. Case closed.

The eBay seller was out of luck too, as he had no legitimate claim to the vehicle unfortunately. He is trying to work out an arrangement with the insurance company so he can perhaps repurchase his car from them and recoup some of his loss. Although he had paid for the vehicle back in 1980, the seller at that time was not legally able to sell the car, as he was an accomplice of the thief. So although he had possession of the vehicle for 26 years and watched the value skyrocket, he is not legally entitled to any of that windfall. Bummer for everybody except the insurance company and the thief ironically, as the statute of limitations has long since passed. A civil suit appears to be the eBay seller's only hope of justice. Read the whole story by following the link.

[Source: Sports Car Market]

Shelby GT350 stolen 26 years ago returned to insurance company, not owner originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car theft "bait" car stolen

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

If this doesn't make you chuckle, chances are nothing will. Dallas police apparently have an APB out for a stolen car with no description and no last known whereabouts. A vehicle used by Dallas police to catch unsuspecting would-be car thieves was stolen over the weekend. The "bait" car had been equipped with cameras, a remote engine kill switch, and some type of tracking system, but still managed to disappear sometime between Friday and Monday. Police were not releasing info about the type of car or the location of the theft because they are holding out hope that they may recover it. They believe it can be returned to their fleet and may be reused on future undercover operations.

This reminds us of the time the D.C. police chief had his car stolen from in front of his house. Police Chief Charles Ramsey was shocked to find an empty parking spot where he had recently parked his black Crown Victoria. At least it was unmarked. Or better yet the case of the stolen Boulder County Sheriff's Deputy K9 patrol vehicle, complete with canine. A suspect was pulled over for speeding and subsequently cuffed and buckled into the passenger seat of the patrol car for investigation of suspected DUI. While the deputy was checking out the suspect's vehicle, the suspect freed himself from the seatbelt, got his hands in front of him and took off with the poor dog in back. At least he was caught soon after and the dog was unharmed. And it can happen in other countries as well. Arab News reported a case of an officer walking out his front door to find an empty parking spot. He had to walk to the station to file a stolen vehicle report on his own car.

Maybe they should consider one of the theft prevention devices we've covered in the past:

[Sources: Dallas Morning News, NPR, Boulder County, Arab News]

Tipster: Richard R

Car theft "bait" car stolen originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. auto theft declines, heads west

Stuart Waterman — Wed, 10 May 2006 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Trends

The National Insurance Crime Bureau had good news and bad news for U.S. car owners Tuesday - the good news is that theft rates were down 2.1 percent in the first half of 2005 compared to 2004, marking the second straight year of theft decline. The bad news? If you live in the West, you're in car thief heaven.

In 2005, the ten metropolitan areas with the worst auto theft records were west of the Rockies, with California laying claim to six of the top ten. Here's the full list:
   1. Modesto, CA
   2. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
   3. Stockton, CA
   4. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
   5. Visalia/Porterville, CA
   6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, WA
   7. Sacramento/Arden-Arcade/Roseville, CA
   8. San Diego/Carlsbad/San Marcos, CA
   9. Fresno, CA
10. Yakima, WA

As you might expect, the NICB has recommendations to help you hang on to your ride, including the use of warning and immobilizing devices. You can read about their "layered approach" to protection here.

If your city didn't make the top ten, you can find out where it ranks and how many vehicles were boosted last year by checking the NICB web site, here.

U.S. auto theft declines, heads west originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 May 2006 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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