AUTO THEFT

AUTO THEFT PREVENTION Your Agency

OBJECTIVES  TO EDUCATE YOU ON THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM  PROVIDE YOU WITH PREVENTION TIPS  GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF EVIDENCE GATHERING  GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE JUDICIAL PROCESS

FACTS ABOUT AUTO THEFT- NATIONAL  THE NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU (N.I.C.B.) ESTIMATES A VEHICLE IS STOLEN EVERY 25 SECONDS  THE NATIONWIDE ANNUAL COST OF VEHICLE THEFT TO CONSUMERS, INCLUDING INSURANCE PREMIUMS, IS APPROXIMATELY $ 7.5 BILLION  ONE OUT OF EVERY 170 VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WILL BE STOLEN

FACTS ABOUT AUTO THEFT- NATIONAL  APPROXIMATELY 1.3 MILLION VEHICLES ARE STOLEN IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR  THE U.S. RECOVERY RATE FOR STOLEN VEHICLES IS APPROXIMATELY 65%

FACTS ABOUT AUTO THEFT- FLORIDA  FLORIDA RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE THEFTS  IN FLORIDA, 46% OF THOSE ARRESTED FOR AUTO THEFT ARE JUVENILES  APPROXIMATELY 25% OF THE VEHICLES STOLEN IN FLORIDA HAD THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION  MOST OF THE CARS STOLEN IN FLORIDA WERE ON AVERAGE AT LEAST 5 YEARS OLD

WHY ARE VEHICLES STOLEN?  JOYRIDING  PARTS OR TO SHIP OUT OF THE COUNTRY  TO COMMIT SECONDARY CRIMES  INSURANCE FRAUD  TO TRADE FOR DRUGS

WHY IS AUTO THEFT SUCH A PROBLEM NOW ?  SOME VEHICLE IGNITION SYSTEMS & LOCKING MECHANISMS ARE EASILY COMPROMISED BY COMMON MATERIALS

WHY IS AUTO THEFT SUCH A PROBLEM NOW ?  INFORMATION ABOUT “HOW TO STEAL A CAR” IS READILY AVAILABLE  AUTO THEFT IS GLAMORIZED IN THE MOVIES AND TV

THE COSTS OF AUTO THEFT  THE COST OF INSURANCE PREMIUMS  THE COST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AT ALL LEVELS –APPREHENDING –PROSECUTING –INCARCERATING  THE EMOTIONAL COST TO YOU IF YOU ARE A VICTIM

HOW ARE VEHICLES STOLEN?  KEYS LEFT IN VEHICLE  FORCE  VEHICLE LEFT UNLOCKED –21% OF ALL VEHICLE OWNERS DON’T LOCK THEIR VEHICLES  VEHICLE LEFT RUNNING AND UNATTENDED

WHERE DO MOST AUTO THEFTS OCCUR  LOCATIONS WHERE THERE IS A LARGE GATHERING OF VEHICLES THAT ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE LIKE: –SCHOOL CAMPUSES –APARTMENT COMPLEXES –SHOPPING MALLS AND CENTERS –HOSPITAL PARKING LOTS –SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ATTRACT A LARGE CROWD

TOP 10 VEHICLES STOLEN IN THE U.S.  HONDA ACCORD  TOYOTA CAMRY  OLDS CUTLASS  HONDA CIVIC  TOYOTA COROLLA  JEEP CHEROKEE  CHEVY CAPRICE  CHEVY CAVALIER  FORD TAURUS  CHEVY FULL SIZE PICK-UP

HOW NOT TO BE A VICTIM  ALWAYS CLOSE ALL WINDOWS, LOCK ALL DOORS AND TAKE THE KEYS WITH YOU  NEVER LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE RUNNING AND UNATTENDED  NEVER HIDE A KEY IN YOUR VEHICLE  PARK YOUR VEHICLE WITH THE WHEELS TURNED. THIS MAKES YOUR VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO TOW

HOW NOT TO BE A VICTIM  COPY YOUR LICENSE PLATE AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) ON A CARD AND KEEP THEM ON YOU WITH YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE  ALWAYS PARK IN A WELL LIGHTED AREA

–A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO HELP REDUCE NIGHT TIME THEFTS –AN OWNER IS GIVEN A YELLOW C.A.T. STICKER THAT IS PLACED IN THE REAR WINDOW –IT AUTHORIZES ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO STOP THE VEHICLE BETWEEN 1- 5 A.M. TO VERIFY THE VEHICLE IS NOT STOLEN  COMBAT AUTO THEFT – C.A.T. HOW NOT TO BE A VICTIM

 ALWAYS USE AN ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

TYPES OF ANTI-THEFT DEVICES  MECHANICAL ANTI-THEFT DEVICES STEERING WHEEL LOCKING DEVICE STEERING COLUMN COLLAR

TYPES OF ANTI-THEFT DEVICES  ELECTRONIC ANTI-THEFT DEVICES -Siren alarm -Motion sensor -Panic button

TYPES OF ANTI-THEFT DEVICES  STARTER DISABLER  RADIO TRANSMITTER SYSTEM –LOW JACK  VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ETCHING (VIN)

CAR JACKING

WHAT IS IT?  “A CRIME WHERE A CAR IS STOLEN FROM A PERSON BY FORCE OR THE THREAT OF FORCE.”  THE CAR JACKER USES GUNS, KNIVES AND OTHERS WEAPONS TO FORCE YOU TO GIVE THEM YOUR CAR.  A VIOLENT CRIME THAT IS ON THE INCREASE

WHO IS AT RISK?  ANYONE WHO DRIVES A CAR!

FACTS ABOUT CAR JACKING  IN 92% OF ALL CAR JACKINGS, THE VICTIM WAS ALONE IN THE CAR.  IN 85% OF ALL CAR JACKINGS, SOME TYPE OF WEAPON WAS USED.  IN 84 % OF ALL CAR JACKINGS THE VICTIM WAS UNIJURED.  ONLY 4% INVOLVED SERIOUS INJURIES.  65% OF ALL CAR JACKINGS OCCURRED FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM

PREVENTION TIPS –BE ALERT TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS –HAVE YOUR KEYS READY SO YOU CAN UNLOCK THE CAR AND ENTER QUICKLY –LOCK YOUR DOORS AS SOON AS YOU’RE INSIDE –PLACE CHILDREN IN THE CAR, GET IN AND LOCK THE DOORS. THEN BUCKLE THEIR SEAT BELTS AND CAR SEATS  ENTERING YOUR CAR

PREVENTION TIPS –KEEP DOORS LOCKED AND WINDOWS UP –STAY ALERT, NOTICE ALL FOOT TRAFFIC WHEN YOUR CAR IS STOPPED –WHEN STOPPING IN TRAFFIC, LEAVE ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR CAR AND THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU, SO YOU CAN PULL AWAY QUICKLY  DRIVING YOUR CAR

PREVENTION TIPS –IF SAFELY LOCKED IN YOUR CAR AND THE ATTACKER IS UNARMED – DRIVE AWAY QUICKLY –IF PULLED FROM YOUR CAR – COOPERATE. MOVE AWAY QUICKLY AND DO NOT RESIST –IF A GUNMAN DEMANDS YOUR CAR – GIVE IT UP  IF CONFRONTED…

PREVENTION TIPS –NEVER LEAVE IN THE CAR WITH THE CAR JACKER –WHEN THE CAR JACKER DRIVES OFF – MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE PLACE AND IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE  IF CONFRONTED…

PREVENTION TIPS –HAVE A VEHICLE AND SUSPECT DESCRIPTION READY TO GIVE THE POLICE –TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT THE CAR JACKER LOOKED LIKE SEX RACE AGE HAIR COLOR SPECIAL FEATURES  IF CONFRONTED…

Don’t Let This Be You! Actual Recovered Stolen Vehicle

THANK YOU