The West Is Best For Auto Theft :NICB

NU Online News Service, June 10, 4:01 p.m.EST?The National Insurance Crime Bureau said today thatthe nine of the metropolitan areas with highest auto theft ratesare located in western states, generally near ports or borders.

Phoenix headed the NICB top 10 list followed by Fresno, Calif.;Modesto, Calif.; Stockton-Lodi, Calif.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Miami,Fla.; Sacramento, Calif.; Oakland, Calif.; Seattle and Tacoma,Wash.

The theft rate figures were based on the number of thefts per100,000 population, which for Phoenix was 1,237.65

The area which had the largest number of actual vehicles stolenwas Los Angeles-Long Beach where 71,079 machines were reportedtaken. Los Angeles-Long Beach ranked 19^th on a ratebasis.

Chicago, in fifty-eighth place recorded 43,600 thefts, Phoenixhad 40,247; Detroit 36,647; Washington, D.C.-and suburbs 33,147 andNew York 30,576.

To develop its theft rate list the NICB said it analyzed theFBI's 2002 vehicle theft data for metropolitan statistical areas,which are designated by the U.S. Census Bureau and include citiesand surrounding communities. Nineteen of those on the NICB's top 25list are west of the Mississippi.

NICB said vehicle theft has surged in California rising form182,000 in 2000 to 210,000 in 2001 and over 227,000 last year.

In several cities, NICB said there were noteworthy declines inthe auto theft rate. The NICP reported Miami had improved fromsecond on the list in 2001 to sixth in 2002. Detroit moved downfrom fourth in 2001 to eleventh in 2002. Tucson, Ariz. went fromsixth place to thirteenth and Jersey City, N.J. went from tenth in2001 to twenty-third in 2002.

NICB mentioned that FBI figures show auto theft increased 4.2percent in the first six months of 2002 compared with the sameperiod in 2001. At the same time, the stolen vehicle recovery ratehas declined to 62 percent in 2001. In the 1990's the recovery ratewas at 80 percent.

Approximately 200,000 stolen vehicles are illegally exportedeach year, according to NICB's estimate.

Robert M. Bryant, NICB president and chief executive officerssaid people who live near ports or international borders need topay special attention to protect against vehicle theft.

Mr. Bryant said the drop in recoveries indicates "growth inwell-organized professional theft rings who direct stolen vehiclesto ?chop shops,' which dismantle them for parts or transport themout of the country."

The positive news, he said, is that increased use of Gamma Raymachines to X-ray shipping containers driven into port facilitiesis helping to locate stolen vehicles.

NICB's full report is on its Web site at www.nicb.org.