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Auto Theft Protection

Statistics

Auto Theft

  • One vehicle is stolen every 20 seconds in the United States
  • In Oklahoma in 2000 there were 12,348 motor vehicles stolen
  • Out of the 12,348 vehicles stolen 66.4% were recovered (8,193)
  • The estimated dollar value of vehicles stolen in 2000 in Oklahoma was $59,988,560
  • Out of all the arrest made 37.7% were juveniles 46.5% of the juveniles arrested were ages 13, 14, or 15
  • There does not appear to be a favorite month for auto theft in Oklahoma
  • Nationally motor vehicle thefts increased slightly in 2000 and 2001
  • Nationally most vehicles are stolen in metropolitan areas

Auto Burglary

  • As of October 31, 2002 there had been 462 auto burglaries since the first of the year in Norman
  • During this same time period in 2001 there were only 362 auto burglaries
  • In 2001 from November 1 through the end of December there were an additional 90 auto burglaries (increase of about 20% as compared to the rest of the year!)
  • In 2000 there was a total of 536 auto burglaries in Norman

Basic Prevention Policy

  • NEVER! Leave your keys in the car (or leave the vehicle running & unattended)
  • Always lock your car, even if it’s in front of your home or in your garage
  • Keep the keys to your home and car separate
  • Copy down your tag and vehicle identification number (VIN) and keep a copy with you (with your driver’s license) and keep a copy at home
  • Keep your car in good running condition and always have plenty of gas to get there and back (you don’t want to leave it sitting along the side of the road if that can be avoided)
  • Avoid isolated parking areas with little foot or auto traffic Keep copies of your insurance and car registration with you and not in your car
  • Avoid leaving packages or shopping bags visible in your car, lock them in the trunk out of sight if you have to leave packages in your car unattended
  • If your trunk can be opened from inside your car without a key, lock this when you are not in your car or have it disabled if possible
  • Never leave your wallet or purse in the car even when it is sitting outside your house, in your garage, or even if you are just running in for a minute
  • When parking or leaving your car always watch for suspicious people or vehicles in the area, if you see someone, move your car and call the police or security to check on the situation
  • If you think someone is following you, drive to the nearest police or fire station, open service station, or other open business to get help
  • Never pick-up hitchhikers, never hitchhike
  • Keep your doors locked while you are driving or sitting in your car
  • Try to always shop with at least one friend in your car with you and park in well lighted areas that have steady foot and auto traffic

Advanced prevention methods

  • Carry a cellular phone with you to make it easier to summon help in an emergency (with a cell phone that does not have service you can still call 9-1-1)
  • Install an alarm on your vehicle (some companies give you a break on your insurance for this)
  • Tint the glass to make it a little harder to see in your car
  • Install a steering wheel locking device
  • Install an ignition kill switch (a hidden switch that cuts off the power in the steering wheel to the ignition)
  • Get “On-Star” or similar system installed on your automobile (satellite tracking if car is stolen)
  • Get a stereo that can be pulled out and stored in your trunk or taken in the house with you

What to do if something is stolen out of your car

  • As soon as you notice do not touch or mess with anything in, on, or around the car
  • As soon as possible call the police to report the incident
  • When you speak with dispatch they will ask your name, location, address where the incident occurred…
  • Start writing down what you noticed missing and anything else you feel the police should know
  • Gather the serial numbers for anything that may have had a number on it that was taken out of the car
  • The police officer will ask you
    • make and model of your car (hopefully the car is still sitting exactly where it was when the burglary occurred and the officer can look at the car and get a lot of information)
    • year of your car
    • between what times could the burglary have occurred
    • do you know of any possible suspects (suspicious people you saw in the area, ex-boyfriend, someone that was mad at you, someone that felt the property was theirs…)
    • be prepared to state specific reasons why you suspect each person you tell the officer about
    • the officer will process your car for fingerprints and possibly even tool marks
    • the officer may ask you if certain things in and around your car belong to you or possibly to the suspect
    • the officer will ask for your information (full name, address, phone, work address and phone, DOB…)
  • Depending on what was taken be sure to call your credit card companies, cell phone companies, credit reporting agencies (to put a flag on you account) and you may even have locks re-keyed if keys were stolen
  • If you haven’t been following all the basic precautions above, now may be a good time to start

What to do if your car is stolen

  • Call the police as soon as possible
  • Dispatch will be wanting the same information as above and if you saw the theft happen they will want to know the last direction of travel of your car
  • After speaking with dispatch if you have a service such as “On-Star” call them next
  • The officer will want the same information as above and if you were following the basic prevention steps you will have your tag and VIN with you!
  • Make sure you call any credit card companies, your bank, credit reporting agencies, the cell phone company, and anyone else that may need to be notified if that information happened to be in your car
  • Next, notify your insurance company
  • If your car is recovered you may consider having the locks re-keyed, however if the insurance company has paid you off the car belongs to them

The Most Stolen Vehicles

The Five Most Stolen Vehicles in Norman in 2002

  1. Chevy pickups
  2. Ford pickups
  3. Ford Mustangs
  4. GMC pickups
  5. Honda Accords

The Ten Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles in the United States in 2001

  1. Toyota Camry 
  2. Honda Accord 
  3. Honda Civic 
  4. Oldsmobile Cutlass / Supreme / Ciera 
  5. Jeep Cherokee / Grand Cherokee 
  6. Chevrolet Full Size C/K Pickup 
  7. Toyota Corolla 
  8. Ford Taurus 
  9. Chevrolet Caprice 
  10. Ford F150 Pickup

The Ten Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles in the Canada in 2001

  1. Hyundai Tiburon FX 
  2. Volkswagen Golf 
  3. Acura Integra 
  4. Jeep TJ 
  5. Hyundai Accent 
  6. Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 
  7. Dodge Durango 
  8. Dodge Dakota 
  9. Toyota 4-Runner 
  10. Dodge RAM 1500

 

REMEMBER: Always lock your car doors and never leave your keys or anything of value in your car



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