Motor Vehicle Theft

[Nephrology]

So, this post is an open question to any/all of you in the LE community that is largely inspired by this infographic:

https://i.imgur.com/G8pNwRZ.png

I read this on Jalopnik (my #2 favorite news source after Barron's) and saw an article suggesting that Halloween is a popular night to boost cars, which go me thinking (usually a bad sign), particularly after perusing the comments section (even worse sign).

Anyway, to the point, my questions are:

1. President's Day? Really? ...why?
2. Are there any patterns re: auto theft that you have noticed in your career? Seasonality, type of vehicle, profile of the perpetrator, motive, etc, that you have noticed in your career?
3. In reading the comments, it seems like it is at least a somewhat common occurrence for desirable cars to be boosted and shipped overseas; particularly to Russia or the Middle East. Is this something you've observed in your career? Or modern boogeyman?
4. Any other general thoughts, tips, etc. for the average citizen re: auto theft (besides "lock your F##ing doors," which hopefully on P-F goes without saying).

Feel free to answer any of the above in part or in whole. Mostly curious to hear your general experiences. I drive a relatively new mom car ('15 Mazda CX5), so between the generally undesirable nature of mom cars and modern anti-theft tech I am largely not worried that my car will get stolen. This is mostly for my edification, so thank you in advance for your replies. Interesting and/or humorous anecdotes that are at least vaguely tangential are more than welcome.

I vaguely recall RevolverRob posing a similar question in this forum, so I apologize if this is slightly re-iterative.

[Hambo]

In 2016, 765,000 cars were stolen, or about 2000 per day. That's roughly the same average as the holiday chart. I'd guess Christmas and Thanksgiving are slightly lower because people are too busy shooting and stabbing their relatives. Other than that, I got nothing.

[HCM]

In 2016, 765,000 cars were stolen, or about 2000 per day. That's roughly the same average as the holiday chart. I'd guess Christmas and Thanksgiving are slightly lower because people are too busy shooting and stabbing their relatives. Other than that, I got nothing.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two days they are at the address they use for court and their drivers license making it more likely for them to get picked up on their warrants.

[Trooper224]

Around here we see an increase in auto theft during the winter. No matter how many times you lecture, people leave their cars running and unattended in the driveway, in the morning.

[KeeFus]

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two days they are at the address they use for court and their drivers license making it more likely for them to get picked up on their warrants.

^^^truth!

[lwt16]

1. President's Day? Really? ...why?
2. Are there any patterns re: auto theft that you have noticed in your career? Seasonality, type of vehicle, profile of the perpetrator, motive, etc, that you have noticed in your career?
3. In reading the comments, it seems like it is at least a somewhat common occurrence for desirable cars to be boosted and shipped overseas; particularly to Russia or the Middle East. Is this something you've observed in your career? Or modern boogeyman?
4. Any other general thoughts, tips, etc. for the average citizen re: auto theft (besides "lock your F##ing doors," which hopefully on P-F goes without saying).



5. Don't trade your car/truck/suv for a hit of coke or brown and then call us to repossess it for you. The vast majority of our local stolen cars are nothing more than crack trades and the junkie wants their ride back.
6. Motorcycles (HD cruisers and high end sporty bikes) are coveted and easily stolen. 4 wheelers too.
7. While not a vehicle, utility trailers (especially ones with landscape equipment) are coveted and easily stolen.

Here, we have four or five BOLOs read out at roll call each day related to stolen cars or trailers. Having the tag/serial numbers/VIN wrote down is a huge help to the reporting officer. Some citizens install tracking devices after repeated victimization and that is a help as well.

Locally, like the above poster said, winter time is the right time for hanging out at a gas station and waiting for someone to park, leave the ride running, and pop in the store for ciggys or power rings. They come out and the ride is nowhere to be found. Refrain from doing that......especially if junior is strapped in to the car seat in the back and the juvvy boosting the ride doesn't check.

With the modern cars, don't leave the fob close to the car with your garage door open to where the cretin can start the car and take off.

Our local stealerships always have cars stolen from them (high end Vettes and such) and that is always an inside job. Someone on the inside leaves a door open, gives their cretin buddies the intel on where the keybox is, and they come back after hours and steal the good sporty cars. One after hours security guard or two would cut down on a lot of that.

Lock your doors while you drive around and be wary of when you have to stop. If possible, be armed all the time. That way, if someone tries to jack you at a red light, the locked door is your first line of defense, driving off is second, and if you are boxed in and in peril, the firearm your final option. It's a legal use of deadly force here if you are being robbed of your car/carjacked.

Using common sense helps the common man/woman not to be a victim. That, along with being prepared goes a long way.

Regards.

[ubervic]

I'd guess Christmas and Thanksgiving are slightly lower because people are too busy shooting and stabbing their relatives.

I LOL'd

[Hambo]

I LOL'd

There's a reason I avoided working Christmas Eve once I had enough seniority. Drunks, ODs, suicides, child abuse, and domestic violence including stabbing, shooting, and even arson. It was like The Purge starting sometime during second shift and running until they passed, got arrested, or died.

[ubervic]

There's a reason I avoided working Christmas Eve once I had enough seniority. Drunks, ODs, suicides, child abuse, and domestic violence including stabbing, shooting, and even arson. It was like The Purge starting sometime during second shift and running until they passed, got arrested, or died.

Well, I'm sure there's nothing funny about any of this in real life. Major ugliness.

[Poconnor]

Not working any holiday on 3-11 shift is a good thing. Too many drunken shenanigans and domestics

[Coyotesfan97]

Early in my career GMC 80s sedans like Monte Carlos, Regals et al were easy to steal. If I saw one at night I always ran it. It was fish in a barrel.

Hondas were always being stolen for parts.

Pickup trucks and SUVs are always popular to steal in Arizona. Most go south of the border. You could always tell when an order came out. 15-20 4x4 trucks stolen in one night. They all went south. It wasn’t uncommon for people to see their stolen truck being driven by Mexican police.

[Nephrology]

Thanks for the repllies, everyone! Very interesting/enlightening. I can't personally fathom leaving a vehicle running unattended so I have that going for me at least.



Pickup trucks and SUVs are always popular to steal in Arizona. Most go south of the border. You could always tell when an order came out. 15-20 4x4 trucks stolen in one night. They all went south. It wasn’t uncommon for people to see their stolen truck being driven by Mexican police.

This is really interesting to me. Are they boosting new production trucks/SUVs? If so, do you have any idea how? It seems like most modern ignition systems (especially push-start vehicles) would be really challenging to steal without a tow. Most of the vehicles I've heard of being boosted for organized criminals in this manner are older muscle cars/rally cars/pickups.

Also, off-topic, but I am in Phoenix right now for a wedding and I am insanely jealous of your "winter" weather. Probably would not be jealous of summers out here, though...

[Totem Polar]

Not LE. That said, I do live in WA state, and I can tell you that auto theft is a thing here. I’m on the “other” (sane) side of the state, in the second largest city, and property crime is far and away our biggest criminal issue. Auto theft is a big part of this: our auto theft numbers are all out of proportion to our population size.

My household has never had a car stolen (knock on laminate camo wood), but we have an alarming number of friends who’ve had their cars stolen overnight—including one poor guy who’s had 3 cars stolen over the years... all econobox hondas. The main gag here appears to be taking cars as either temp transpo for illicit shit (likely drug related, supply side), or taking cars as temp shelter for illicit shit (always drug related, consumer side). Of the many cars stolen from working-class artist friends of ours (read; older, economy) all were recovered within a week, and they fell into two categories: #1, trashed, with used needles all over the floor, or #2, found on blocks—in several cases within 48 hours—with an extra 150 miles on them, and minus the wheels, battery, and with the cat converter expertly cut out of the exhaust system. Those cars also tend to be sanitized (in terms of prints) with WD-40 sprayed on the wheel, door handles in/out and gearshift. The only reason I know this is I’ve seen it for myself, multiple times, giving friends rides to their rigs when LE calls them to let them know they found their car.

Aside from that, all I know is that if you *really* want you car stolen around here, drive any honda or a toyota corolla or compact pickup made before 2000, and do your cardio and eat right. If you live long enough, your car will be jacked, sure as hell.

[Flamingo]

In Seattle the cars of choice are 90s and early 2000s Subarus followed by late 90s Hondas. They are usually recovered within two weeks and have had homeless living in them.

[Nephrology]

Early in my career GMC 80s sedans like Monte Carlos, Regals et al were easy to steal. If I saw one at night I always ran it. It was fish in a barrel.

Hondas were always being stolen for parts.

Pickup trucks and SUVs are always popular to steal in Arizona. Most go south of the border. You could always tell when an order came out. 15-20 4x4 trucks stolen in one night. They all went south. It wasn’t uncommon for people to see their stolen truck being driven by Mexican police.

PS - also tangential - at a coyotes game as I type this. They’re kicking the tar outta the hurricaines. Last time I followed the NHL my favorite team was the thrashers... If that gives you an idea of how long ago that was...

[Coyotesfan97]

Thanks for the repllies, everyone! Very interesting/enlightening. I can't personally fathom leaving a vehicle running unattended so I have that going for me at least.



This is really interesting to me. Are they boosting new production trucks/SUVs? If so, do you have any idea how? It seems like most modern ignition systems (especially push-start vehicles) would be really challenging to steal without a tow. Most of the vehicles I've heard of being boosted for organized criminals in this manner are older muscle cars/rally cars/pickups.

Also, off-topic, but I am in Phoenix right now for a wedding and I am insanely jealous of your "winter" weather. Probably would not be jealous of summers out here, though...

I don’t know if the new pickups/SUVsare getting taken. It was really prevalent in the 90s and later. I’m sure there are plenty of older models to take.

I always say if we had this weather year round we’d be another LA. The summer discourages some growth.

[Coyotesfan97]

PS - also tangential - at a coyotes game as I type this. They’re kicking the tar outta the hurricaines. Last time I followed the NHL my favorite team was the thrashers... If that gives you an idea of how long ago that was...

Nice I heard that was a great game...if you’re a Coyotes fan. LOL The Coyotes are on a roll with a five game win streak.

I remember the Thrashers. Kind of a circle. Coyotes were the Jets. Thrashers became the Jets.

[blues]

Hey, if we're talkin' hockey, let's get a thread going. I don't want to miss it buried in a vehicle theft thread. :cool:

[JAD]

I’m fairly sure that Neph’s car has been totaled by now so we can stop worrying about it.

[HCM]

Thanks for the repllies, everyone! Very interesting/enlightening. I can't personally fathom leaving a vehicle running unattended so I have that going for me at least.



This is really interesting to me. Are they boosting new production trucks/SUVs? If so, do you have any idea how? It seems like most modern ignition systems (especially push-start vehicles) would be really challenging to steal without a tow. Most of the vehicles I've heard of being boosted for organized criminals in this manner are older muscle cars/rally cars/pickups.

Also, off-topic, but I am in Phoenix right now for a wedding and I am insanely jealous of your "winter" weather. Probably would not be jealous of summers out here, though...

The future of car theft is digital / hacking. It’s not super common yet as there is more money in thinga like gaspump/ATM skimmers for people with those sorts of skills but it is real.

Boost and relay attacks use the code / signal from you key fob to open / start the car.


https://youtu.be/bXfp8F4J2eI

https://www.wired.com/2017/04/just-pair-11-radio-gadgets-can-steal-car/

https://mashable.com/2017/11/28/protect-your-car-wireless-relay-attack/

https://www.wired.com/2016/03/study-finds-24-car-models-open-unlocking-ignition-hack/

[Duelist]

Thanks for the repllies, everyone! Very interesting/enlightening. I can't personally fathom leaving a vehicle running unattended so I have that going for me at least.



This is really interesting to me. Are they boosting new production trucks/SUVs? If so, do you have any idea how? It seems like most modern ignition systems (especially push-start vehicles) would be really challenging to steal without a tow. Most of the vehicles I've heard of being boosted for organized criminals in this manner are older muscle cars/rally cars/pickups.

Also, off-topic, but I am in Phoenix right now for a wedding and I am insanely jealous of your "winter" weather. Probably would not be jealous of summers out here, though...

Phoenix in the summer is oven hot. I like visiting in the winter, though. Gets me to a lower elevation so I can thaw out. I live at a higher elevation, so the summers are more tolerable, but still low enough and Arizona enough that we rarely get snow.

Summers are tolerable in Phoenix only due to AC.

[Nephrology]

The future of car theft is digital / hacking. It’s not super common yet as there is more money in thinga like gaspump/ATM skimmers for people with those sorts of skills but it is real.

Boost and relay attacks use the code / signal from you key fob to open / start the car.


https://youtu.be/bXfp8F4J2eI

https://www.wired.com/2017/04/just-pair-11-radio-gadgets-can-steal-car/

https://mashable.com/2017/11/28/protect-your-car-wireless-relay-attack/

https://www.wired.com/2016/03/study-finds-24-car-models-open-unlocking-ignition-hack/

That's really interesting.Definitely makes a lot of sense. Do you think a transponder key-based ignition system would be more protected? Agree that this looks like a lot of effort and knowledge is required to execute but like all offensive/defensive technologies I assume it will eventually proliferate in a simplified form via the black market eventually. Do you know of any cases where vehicles have been stolen in this fashion, either professionally (if you can disclose) or that have been published in the news?

Also - out of respect for the mods (who are, as always, shit), I'll keep this thread back on topic. Phoenix has been nice and hockey is a cool sport but are topics better suited for GD :)

[Hambo]

Do you know of any cases where vehicles have been stolen in this fashion, either professionally (if you can disclose) or that have been published in the news?

Coming soon...

https://news.sky.com/story/thousands-of-cars-stolen-using-hi-tech-gadgets-10406419

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11964140/Three-quarters-of-cars-stolen-in-France-electronically-hacked.html

[PD Sgt.]

In Seattle the cars of choice are 90s and early 2000s Subarus followed by late 90s Hondas. They are usually recovered within two weeks and have had homeless living in them.

“Thanks for the f*** shack!” Dirty Mike and the boys.

[HCountyGuy]

The future of car theft is digital / hacking. It’s not super common yet as there is more money in thinga like gaspump/ATM skimmers for people with those sorts of skills but it is real.

Boost and relay attacks use the code / signal from you key fob to open / start the car.


https://youtu.be/bXfp8F4J2eI

https://www.wired.com/2017/04/just-pair-11-radio-gadgets-can-steal-car/

https://mashable.com/2017/11/28/protect-your-car-wireless-relay-attack/

https://www.wired.com/2016/03/study-finds-24-car-models-open-unlocking-ignition-hack/

Wasn’t there a thread that discussed an uptick in carjackings relative to the increased difficulty of stealing cars with newer/better anti-theft measures?

I can see the more tech-savvy ways becoming common as the technology becomes cheaper/easier to acquire. But then there’s always the low-tech solutions for high-tech problems.

[RevolverRob]

The manual transmission is a modern man's anti-theft device.

But in a more serious vein, holidays, paid holidays, tend to see significant uptick in crime. Be it President's Day or Christmas Eve. You can track shootings in Chicago and the greatest predictor of an increase in volume of shootings will be a holiday weekend. I see no reason to believe that's not the case for car theft or property crime in general.

[GardoneVT]

That's really interesting.Definitely makes a lot of sense. Do you think a transponder key-based ignition system would be more protected? Agree that this looks like a lot of effort and knowledge is required to execute but like all offensive/defensive technologies I assume it will eventually proliferate in a simplified form via the black market eventually. Do you know of any cases where vehicles have been stolen in this fashion, either professionally (if you can disclose) or that have been published in the news?


There’s already been cases of this. Some BMWs and FCA (Chrysler Motors) cars were stolen in this manner, with the laptop armed perpetrators being videoed in some instances.

Unfortunately there’s precious little defense against this kind of compromise. In the case of the FCA theives a former employee at a plant got access to a set of VINs and the proprietary vehicle specific reset codes , which permitted brute force hacking of the keyless entry systems. The digital equivalent of a blank key, as it were. With the BMWs I suspect it’s a similar state of affairs .

High end car theives of the future will have a totally different skill set from one’s of the past, I expect. Scary thing is a thief with that skill set can do more then just steal the car. Like download maintenance records, ID where the owner frequently travels if it has an onboard NAV system, and so on. As Woody Harrellson once said in a recent cop movie, the monster has gone digital.

[mmc45414]

Early in my career GMC 80s sedans like Monte Carlos, Regals et al were easy to steal. If I saw one at night I always ran it. It was fish in a barrel.
We had an Astro van with the same steering column that ALMOST got stolen. When I was on the phone with the detective describing the damage he said something to the effect of "The only thing I cannot figure out is, why your van is still there..."

[Coyotesfan97]

We had an Astro van with the same steering column that ALMOST got stolen. When I was on the phone with the detective describing the damage he said something to the effect of "The only thing I cannot figure out is, why your van is still there..."

Yep if you had a flathead screwdriver you could crack the column, start the car, and drive away.

[mmc45414]

Yep if you had a flathead screwdriver you could crack the column, start the car, and drive away.
In the process they broke the turn signal switch. The detective told me that is probably why they left it behind because at the time driving with the blinker on was probable cause and they were busting a lot of people that way. Probably wouldn't have worked in Florida... :)

[Coyotesfan97]

In the process they broke the turn signal switch. The detective told me that is probably why they left it behind because at the time driving with the blinker on was probable cause and they were busting a lot of people that way. Probably wouldn't have worked in Florida... :)

It messed up the headlight selection too so you looked for the cars driving with high beams.

[willie]

Immense numbers of car theft cases create a giant stack of cases. These by themselves require officers' paperwork time and effort. Burglaries are so common that they also produce large numbers of open cases with the same paperwork requirement. This was explained to me by a detective who said that clerical skills were essential in his job.