Our agency Northglenn Police Department are reported the most crime, as usual in entire country, America which is theft. There is violent included theft such as burglary, robbery, and some kind of grand theft. Grand theft also is known as larceny theft and might address direct penitentiary. There is petty, or petit theft without violent which is mostly fined financially. Yet automobile related theft is varying from petty theft which meets description of in common usage, theft is the taking of another person’s property or services without that person’s permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. That might be taking property from someone’s vehicle without permission or consent, or that might be using force to steal with using tools another person’s vehicle.
Those automobile theft incidents occur in several different locations. Either on the street park anywhere, or at parking lot of residential or commercial areas, or even in private parking garages, thieves may steal vehicles. There is absolutely some areas are more potential than others. Also, it may occur at any time of the day, and there is still more certain times than regular times, days, months, even years. Addition to these, there is also kind of vehicles are more targetable objects than others. All those acknowledgements shed lights to take better strategies to prevent motor vehicle theft for law enforcement agencies.
There is an option put more police patrol on the streets, and more police officers presenting, but that is financially and physically not realistic. Police may work on crime mapping strategy, which helps law enforcement agency where, when and how crimes occur in different locations, and then they may apply more focus on that higher crime area. Due process policing may still applicable, but in these days, contemporary community policing strategy may work better. Communication, and good relationship with community are good sources for police agency to prevent, and to solve crimes. Cooperation with other agencies, and authorities, such as mayor, city council is also a good chance to prevent, and to solve crime.
Vehicle Crime Awareness
There is fact that if something has already happened, it would be too late to do take an action, and it is irreversible. Thus, even if there are several ways to cover up people’s lost, it is better to take precautions to prevent before it happened. Motor vehicle owners should aware some sort of facts, if they do really afford to get their vehicles stolen in the first place before crime occurred. If someone’s car will be stolen, or damaged, he or she should consider affording a new car. Insurance coverage is good enough to satisfy owner’s lost, such as providing a rental car. If insurance company does not pay for rental car, either victim can afford rental car or that individual aware of public busses’ routes near by streets. There are also varies circumstances will challenge victim faces, like anyone can give victim a ride, police report, insurance claim etc.
According to FBI, Uniform Crime Reporting, there are 681,504 in 2015, and 730,110 motor vehicles theft recorded (for details visit; www.ucr.fbi.gov). In the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, motor vehicle theft is defined as the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is defined in the UCR Program as a self-propelled vehicle that runs on land surfaces and not on rails. Examples of motor vehicles include sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motor scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and snowmobiles. Motor vehicle theft does not include farm equipment, bulldozers, airplanes, construction equipment, or water craft such as motorboats, sailboats, houseboats, or jet skis. The taking of a motor vehicle for temporary use by persons having lawful access is excluded from this definition. Approximately $5.9 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts in 2016. The average dollar loss per stolen vehicle was $7,680 (www.ucr.fbi.gov).
In 2017, Northglenn and surrounding cities, such as Westminster, Thornton, there were more than two thousand vehicle thefts reported (visit for details; www.miia.org). That means weekly average of stolen vehicle is 13. Sure, offenders pick certain types of vehicles for numerous reasons, and top list of these vehicles are sorted as, Honda, Subaru, Ford F-250, Chevrolet Silverado, Jeep Cherokee, Ford F-350, Ford F150, and Dodge Ram. Also, offenders are mostly in minorities, such as black and Hispanic 62%, and male 83%, and adult 86%. There are two types of thieves, either opportunist which means mostly juveniles take opportunity for temporary purpose from their parents, relatives, or friends. Second type is professionals. These offenders are mostly adult, and they do on purpose to steal vehicles. However according to FBI, more thefts are committed by amateurs than professionals (more details visit; www.fbi.com) .
The purposes of offenders are; transportation, joyride, drug money, commit another crime, pass a gang imitation, street racing modifications, access to personal information, to commit fraud. Offenders do either export these stolen vehicles or break down into parts for resale. These crimes occur mostly on public streets, and poor neighborhood area which makes vehicles vulnerable for offenders merely walk distance of several blocks away. Two of third motor vehicle thefts occur at nights between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. and summer time, significantly August has the highest crime rate. The other surprising fact is fifty percent of these stolen vehicles were unlocked, and more than 30% of these vehicles’ keys were in the ignitions at the time of theft. Lastly, there is fraud fact to report a vehicle as stolen for insurance claim.
Auto Theft Prevention
As mentioned above, first responsibility is owner of vehicle should take precautions before becoming a motor vehicle theft victim. Agency can help community with community awareness programs. There might be community visitations by police officers and inform people about auto theft and how to prevent. Also, flyers can be delivered all around the city to remark motor vehicle theft. This information may contain;
There are also law enforcement officers may use technology to prevent motor vehicle theft, or eventually to find stolen vehicles. Such BAIT system is police can track stolen vehicle and may shut off stolen vehicle engine remotely. Other option police can apply license plate recognition reader. This is a software program police officers can install on patrol vehicle computer and connect to vehicle mounted camera for license plate scanning and recognition. A transmitter system installed in a vehicle that silently emits a signal to police or security stations when a vehicle is reported stolen. Signals are transmitted and received via Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems and/or cellular phone towers. Depending on the system, authorities trace the signal using a compass-type device or a digitized computer map. Popular brands include: LoJack, OnGuard, (ATX), Teletrac, OnStar, SOS. Colorado insurance consumers may notice an annual $1 charge on their car insurance policy that funds the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA). A Colorado law went into effect July 1, 2008, that requires insurance companies to collect $1 for every insured vehicle. That money helps fund auto theft prevention grants approved by the CATPA.
The new law provides an estimated $4 million a year that directly targets auto theft across Colorado. State legislators intended this to be a direct investment by consumers to combat auto theft and lower car insurance premiums. The CATPA is similar to auto theft prevention authorities in other states that have successfully reduced auto theft by providing ongoing funding to investigation, enforcement, prosecution, public awareness and law enforcement training programs.
Since CATPA efforts were first launched in 2005, the number of stolen vehicles in Colorado has decreased by 55 percent—from 25,315 to 11,459. This is in large part due to the CATPA funded multi-jurisdictional auto theft task forces operating across the state. There used to be Colorado Puffer law which it was illegal to leave vehicles running unattended. Even though people of Colorado may not know about these laws, in 2016 Colorado governor signed the end of car puffing ban.
Agency Response
Despite increasing in vehicles theft and growing involvement by professional thieves, most local law enforcement and prosecution agencies do not, and perhaps cannot designate auto theft as a high priority crime. Because of agency budget fact, each agency chooses their priorities differently, and violent or personal crime demand larger. Motor vehicle theft require special expertise, technical knowledge, broader information from other jurisdictions, and need supported laws. Nevertheless, agency should response any crime including motor vehicle theft in order to law which it means in prevention, through public education activities. Police officers who engaged motor vehicle theft case should collect accurate information. Agency might hire specialized agents in automobile theft, and train its officers as needed. Agency may seek support law reform in state level with coordinating authorities. Agency may apply periodically routine vehicle reports and recoveries. Certain areas, according to crime mapping strategy, more police patrol may present. Community policing may help to know better community and may apply any crime including motor vehicle theft immediately and effectively.
Conclusion
Motor vehicle theft is one of the highest rate crimes in America. As other crimes, auto theft needs awareness by society first. Each crime arguments start with prevention. Yet police involve auto theft crime, victim should have taken precautions such as do not leave vehicle unlock, set the alarm, and beware unattended valuable belongings in the car. People own life is the most important which is not to be jeopardized against carjackers. Police agency should apply public education activities to inform community preventing motor vehicle theft. Also, agency may higher special auto theft expertise, and have its police officers get trained on auto theft. Agency may have budget for contemporary improved technological devices to recognize stolen vehicles. Agency should coordinate with other jurisdictions and states. More patrol officers may present at higher crime areas.
