Stolen Autos’ Good/Bad News

A recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) said auto theft statistics from 2006 indicate vehicle theft declined for the third year in a row. According to the NICB, 1.19 million motor vehicles were reported stolen in 2006, down from the 42,417 reported stolen in 2005.

“The decrease in vehicle thefts is certainly welcome news to law enforcement, the insurance industry and vehicle owners nationwide,” said Robert M. Bryant, NICB president and CEO, in an announcement regarding the 2006 auto theft statistics.

That vehicle theft is declining is good and welcome news for sure. But the results beg the question: what are some of the reasons that fewer autos are being stolen?

NICB said effective deterrents include audible alarms, steering column collars, steering wheel/brake pedal locks, brake and wheel locks, tire locks/tire deflators, theft deterrent decals, identification markers in or on vehicles, window etching and micro dot marking.

Other experts would say better and more sophisticated technology has helped, such as keyless vehicle entry systems. Programs such as On-Star and other navigational systems also may play a role.

According to the NICB, the final “layer of protection” is a tracking device that sends a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Such devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics,” which combine global position systems and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the telematics system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via a computer.

And what about insurance crime and auto theft bureaus established in many states? Those bureaus, although controversial over the years, are funded by the insurance industry, as well as by government grants and sometimes private grants. Many would say their role in investigating auto theft along with their efforts to educate the public though public service announcements, brochures and seminars, also have contributed to lower numbers of cars stolen.

Now For the Bad News

Despite falling rates of auto theft, the NICB reported that every 26.4 seconds, a vehicle is stolen in the United States. Using the FBI’s average valuation of $6,649 per stolen vehicle, that amounts to a cost of more than $7.9 billion in losses in 2006 — just in vehicle value alone.

In addition, although overall thefts are down for the third consecutive year, only 59 percent of stolen vehicles were recovered last year, the lowest recovery rate in more than a decade.

So while the news is mostly good, the bad news indicates a continuing need for strengthened auto theft deterrents and recovery efforts.