Chapter 14
Motor Vehicle Theft
Extent of Motor Vehicle Theft
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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
Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Honda Civic/CRX
Jeep Cherokee,
Grand Cherokee
6. Chevrolet Full-Size
Pickup
7. Toyota Corolla
8. Chevrolet Caprice
9. Ford Taurus
Note: Data sometimes
changes from year to
year.
Cities with the highest vehicle
theft rates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Miami, FL
Jersey City, NJ
Fresno, CA
Memphis, TN
New York, NY
6.
7.
8.
9.
Tucson, AZ
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Sacramento, CA
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.
VIN # 1F1CY62X1YK555888
• 1 = nation of origin
• F = manufacturer
symbol
• 1 = make
• C = restraint
• Y = car line
• 62 = body type
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X = engine symbol
1 = check digit
Y = model year
K = assembly plant
555888 = sequential
production number
Types of Motor Vehicle Theft
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Joyriding
Transportation
Commission of another crime
Stripping for parts and accessories
(Chop Shop)
• Reselling for profit
Elements of the Crime
Auto Theft
• Intentionally taking or driving
• A motor vehicle
• Without the consent of the owner or the
owner’s authorized agent
• (Motor vehicles include automobiles,
trucks buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles,
vans, self-propelled watercraft and
aircraft.)
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.
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.
Preliminary Investigation
Information 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
• Complainant’s present
location
Tools for Stealing Cars
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Car openers
Rake and pick guns
Tryout keys
Impact tools
Key way decoders
• Modified vice grips
• Tubular pick locks
• Modified screw
drivers
• Hot wiring
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
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
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