Motor Vehicle Theft

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Chapter 15

• Motor Vehicle Theft

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Extent of Motor Vehicle Theft

• 1.2 million vehicles were stolen in 2000
• Value of 7.8 billion dollars
• Automobiles 74.5
• Trucks or buses 18.7
• Clearance rate only 14.1
• 30 of the vehicles never recovered
• 66.5 of those arrested were under 25

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Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles

• Toyota Camry
• Honda Accord
• Oldsmobile Cutlass
• Honda Civic/CRX
• Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee

• Chevrolet Full-Size Pickup
• Toyota Corolla
• Chevrolet Caprice
• Ford Taurus
• Note Data sometimes changes from year to year.

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Cities with the highest vehicle theft rates

• Miami, FL
• Jersey City, NJ
• Fresno, CA
• Memphis, TN
• New York, NY

• Tucson, AZ
• Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
• Albuquerque, NM
• Sacramento, CA

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Motor Vehicle Identification

• The vehicle identification number (VIN) is the
  primary non-duplicated, serialized number
  assigned by a manufacturer to each vehicle made.
  This number, critical in motor vehicle theft
  investigation, identifies the specific vehicle in
  question.

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VIN 1F1CY62X1YK555888

• 1 nation of origin
• F manufacturer symbol
• 1 make
• C restraint
• Y car line
• 62 body type

• X engine symbol
• 1 check digit
• Y model year
• K assembly plant
• 555888 sequential production number

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Types of Motor Vehicle Theft

• Joyriding
• Transportation
• Commission of another crime
• Stripping for parts and accessories
• (Chop Shop)
• Reselling for profit

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Elements of the Crime Auto Theft

• Intentionally taking or driving
• A motor vehicle
• Without the consent of the owner or the owners
  authorized agent
• (Motor vehicles include automobiles, trucks
  buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, vans,
  self-propelled watercraft and aircraft.)

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The Dyer Act

• The Dyer Act made interstate transportation of a
  stolen motor vehicle a federal crime and allowed
  for federal help in prosecuting such cases.
• The Act was amended in 1945 to include aircraft
  and is now called the Interstate Transportation
  of Stolen Motor Vehicles Act.

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Elements of Interstate Transportation of a Motor
Vehicle

• The motor vehicle was stolen.
• It was transported in interstate or foreign
  commerce.
• The person transporting or causing it to be
  transported knew it was stolen.
• The person receiving, concealing, selling or
  bartering it knew it was stolen.

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Preliminary InvestigationInformation Obtained
by the Police

• Time, date and location of the theft
• Make, model and color of vehicle
• State of issue of license plate
• License plate number

• Direction of travel
• Description of any suspect
• Complainants present location

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Tools for Stealing Cars

• Car openers
• Rake and pick guns
• Tryout keys
• Impact tools
• Key way decoders

• Modified vice grips
• Tubular pick locks
• Modified screw drivers
• Hot wiring

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To Improve Your Ability to Recognize Stolen
Vehicles

• Keep a list of stolen vehicles in car
• Develop a check system to determine if car is
  stolen
• Learn the common characteristics of stolen
  vehicles and car thieves
• Take time to check suspicious persons and
  vehicles
• Learn how to questions suspicious drivers

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Preventing Auto Theft

• Common sense-remove keys and lock doors
• Visible and audible devices-steering wheel locks
  and alarms
• Immobilizing devices--cut-off switches and fuel
  disables
• Tracing devices-give police the location of a
  vehicle

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Thefts of Other Types of Motor Vehicles

• Truck and Trailers
• Construction Vehicles and Equipment
• Recreational Vehicles
• Motorized Boats
• Snowmobiles
• Motorcycles, Motor Scooters, and Mopeds
• Aircraft

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