It took just 6 1/2 minutes to totally disassemble a 1988 Chevy pickup truck into a salable pile of parts. In a demonstration for law enforcement officers, six special agents from the National Insurance Crime Bureau demonstrated the speed with which a skilled team of thieves can break into a vehicle, harvest its parts and dispose of the body. Grand theft auto is a serious problem in Los Angeles and across the country. Nationwide, more than 1 million vehicles are stolen each year, many of them are older vehicles like the '88 Chevy used in NICB demonstration. "Ironically, it's not the luxury vehicles that are most commonly stolen," said NICB spokeswoman Vickie Neal. Parts for older vehicles are harder to find, making them a hot commodity these days, particularly overseas. It's the lucrative auto parts market that lures car thieves. According to NICB, 40% of stolen autos are never recovered. Most are probably stripped of their parts for sale on the black market then destroyed. A vehicle's parts may be worth twice as much as the vehicle itself. For example, the Chevy truck used in the NICB demo is worth about $2,100 on the used car market; but stripped down, its parts would sell for nearly $4,100 on the black market. To protect yourself from car thieves, park in well-lighted areas and consider installing these anti-theft devices on your vehicle, some of which are standard on newer models:
- Equip your vehicle with an audible alarm
- Use a "club" to lock the steering wheel
- Use a steering column collar to prevent hot-wiring
- Use valve stem tire locks that cause tires to go flat if they rotate before the lock is removed
- Install a kill switch that stops the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch is activated
- Install a ignition or fuel disabler or fuse cutoff which short circuit the electrical or fuel systems so your car won't start
- Use smart keys or wireless ignition systems that prevent the car from starting without the correct key or signal
- Install a tracking device that allows police to find your car if it is stolen
-LegalPro
