Attorney General Gary King today joined other top law enforcement officers at a news conference to promote national and local efforts to provide early childhood care as a means to crime prevention.

(SANTA FE)—Attorney General Gary King today joined other top law enforcement officers at a news conference to promote national and local efforts to provide early childhood care as a means to crime prevention.

“Once a crime is committed, the damage is done. It makes sense to focus resources on that time in kids lives when we have the opportunity to prevent crime,” says AG King. “I think my mom, Alice King, who worked so hard to protect children, would agree that it is never too early to teach kids how to stay out of trouble.”

The law enforcement leaders gathered at the Flores del Sol Head Start Center in Santa Fe to extend their support to proposals currently being advanced in the New Mexico Legislature that would expand the state’s pre-kindergarten program and other early childhood development initiatives.Event sponsor, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, cited a recent report showing that children who attend high quality early education and care programs are significantly less likely to commit crimes as adults.

Due to funding shortfalls, 65 percent of 3 and 4-year-olds in New Mexico are not enrolled in state pre-kindergarten, the federally-funded Head Start school readiness program or a special education preschool. Attorney General King and the other law enforcement representatives also urged state lawmakers to expand voluntary home-visiting programs which help new parents learn about health and development needs of their children and how to avoid abusive behavior toward their kids.

Rushcliffe South includes Bingham, Radcliffe on Trent, Cotgrave, as well as 146 square miles of rural villages including East Bridgford, Cropwell Bishop, Keyworth, Tollerton, East Leake, Gotham, and local officers believe criminals are deliberately traveling to rural locations in an effort to find easier targets.

Sgt Zoe Hallam, who works at Bingham Police Station, said: “We are still seeing reductions in the level of vehicle crime in Rushcliffe South, with a 37% fall in the number of thefts from vehicles since 1 April 2008 to date.

“However, there was a significant increase in the number of offences being committed in rural areas at the start of the year. We moved quickly to identify and arrest the offenders, and those individuals are currently on police bail while investigations continue. “We have seen the number of thefts from vehicles fall as a result, but we are still carrying out increased patrols in areas which were targeted. We are also conducting a number operations to identify other offenders and the vehicles they are using to travel around the area.

“What we need local residents to remember is that following some simple crime prevention advice can dramatically reduce their risk of becoming a victim of car crime. “If you’ve got a garage, use it – your vehicle is usually worth a lot more than whatever else you might be keeping in it. If you haven’t got a garage but have got a drive, get your car off the street and park on the drive.

“If you’ve got an alarm or a steering lock, make sure you use it, and always take any valuables with you when you leave your vehicle. Don’t leave anything in your car. “If you’ve got a sat-nav, take it with you and remember to remove the holder. If you leave it in the car, the thieves may think there’s a sat-nav hidden in the vehicle. Even if there isn’t, they might still break in to check, which will mean you’ll end up facing the cost of replacing the window.

“They’ll even look for the ring mark left by the holder on the windscreen, so you’ll needs to rub this off as well before you leave the vehicle.” A number of vehicles have also been stolen following a recent spate of burglaries in the Keyworth, Neville and Wiverton areas, where offenders have taken car keys from the property and used them to steal a vehicle from the address.

Peter Ainley, crime reduction manager for Rushcliffe South, said: “Taking the car keys in a burglary has become an increasingly common method of stealing vehicles, as improvements in car security mean that newer vehicles cannot be driven away without ‘chipped’ ignition keys. “Make sure you take care to secure your property – thieves will always favour an open or insecure door or window – it’s the easy option – and insecure windows and doors play large part in car key break.

“To avoid becoming a victim of crime, make sure your windows and doors are locked and make use of security features like night locks on windows and door chains. Don’t leave your car keys in an obvious place – keep them somewhere secure and out of sight of an opportunist thief.”

Car thefts in Honolulu have been on the decline, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s Hot Spots auto theft report. There were about 3,633 car thefts in Honolulu last year, down 26% from the 4,935 thefts in 2006 and down 35% from the 5,602 thefts in 2005. Honolulu was in 82nd position in the nation based on its per capita rate of auto thefts. Honolulu had a rate of 401 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents. Modesto, California, took the No.1 spot, with 5,358 thefts and a rate of 1,047. The rate determination used the 2007 U.S. Census Population Estimates, the most current figures available, according to the bureau.

In 2007, for the second year in a row, the 1991 Honda Accord and 1995 Honda Civic led a list of most reported stolen cars, according to Hot Wheels 2008, the companion study to the Hot Spots auto theft report. Also making the top 10 for 2007 were the 1989 Toyota Camry, 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup, 1997 Ford F-150 Series Pickup, 1994 Acura Integra, 1994 Nissan Sentra, 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup, 1988 Toyota Pickup and the 2007 Toyota Corolla.

According to the bureau, they have confirmed that theft of older model vehicles has remained constant for the past several years. Thieves continue to target older vehicles because they provide the best market for stolen vehicle parts. Preliminary data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report reveal that motor vehicle theft is headed for an 8.9% decrease in 2007; however the final figures will be released later this year.

In Stanislaus country, vehicle thefts have reduced this year. Cities like Modesto and Turlock have seen reduction in auto thefts by nearly 30 percent. According to national insurance crime bureau, Stanislaus country ranked first this year in car thefts. In 2007, Stanislaus country had dropped to fifth place in car thefts. Nearly 959 vehicles were stolen in July this year, in Modesto city. Last year during the same period, 1,366 cars were stolen. There’s nearly 30 percent drop of vehicle theft in Modesto city this year compared to last year.

Thief’s used to steal even if they had to pay $40,000 for bail or they were in jail for 180 days. But now there has been a reduction in car theft because they don’t want their picture in the paper. Even if the police have any suspicion on any person they would post their picture on the newspapers. This thing has really affected thief, which led to reduction in car theft. Public has also become more cautious. People used to leave their engine running as they were in a hurry to go into a store so that they could complete their task soon. Older model Hondas and Nissans remain popular targets for thieves.

H.E.A.T tips had celebrated 23 years of success last month. Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T) is a vital resource in Michigan for law enforcement, insurance companies and citizens to help decrease auto theft related crimes. Started in 1985, it has recovered nearly $49 million in stolen property and has arrested more than 3,200 suspects involved in auto theft rings, chop shops, carjacking and fraudulent car theft. H.E.A.T provides a confidential and convenient way to report information.

H.E.A.T works with Michigan law enforcement agencies to follow up on tips. Tipsters are awarded up to $1,000 if the tip leads to the arrest and prosecution of a suspected car thief and $10,000 is awarded to tipsters if they give information of a suspected theft ring or chop shop operators. It rewards nearly $2,000 to tipsters for information leading to the issuance of a warrant for a carjacking suspect.

For the past few years, the number of automobile thefts has increased at a startling pace in the United States. Today no longer youngsters’ moves around the province on a jolly ride due the fact that automobiles are gets steeled. On the other hand, automobile theft has become a big business not only in US but across the globe.

The reason for the launch of this website is to help auto mobile owners to prevent thefts. Everyone from the automobile and security industries,insurance industry, the government, law enforcers and the automobile owners must form a united group to fight the problem of automobile theft, as this has become a serious problem and a threat to both psychological and economic welfares for the people in America.

This website gives you wide knowledge on how to prevent crime and how to protect your auto from theft. We believe that this auto theft prevention website, AutoThiefs.com will be very helpful for automobile owners and for those who are working in the automobile industry. Don’t forget to bookmark this informative website and keep visiting our Auto Theft News section which will keep you updated with valuable information.

According to a police chief, Montgomery County police received nearly 225 reports of stolen vehicles. The number of thefts has increased by 9 percent when compared to previous year, while there is only a small increase in the number of murders, rapes and assaults. In the county a total of 2,258 vehicles were stolen but police was able to solve only 267 auto theft cases. The items that are stolen from the vehicle have increased by 17.2 percent when compared to last year. There was a significant rise in the number of burglaries and robberies committed by gangs last year. In the year 2008, there were nearly 2,623 residential burglaries, up 73 from the year before. County Executive Ike Leggett has increased the public safety budget by $.4 million and the county will lose about $23,000 grants for vehicle theft prevention efforts.

Every day in the District of Columbia, approximately 18 vehicles are stolen. These stolen vans, cars, motorcycles, and trucks cost victims time and money, as well as increase everyone’s insurance premiums. Often, stolen vehicles are used to commit other crimes.

The Metropolitan Police Department recommends a “layered approach” to protecting your vehicle. The theory is that the more “layers of protection” you use, the more difficult your vehicle will be to steal. Read the MPDC’s Layered Approach to auto theft prevention.

Read the additional information for auto theft prevention below:

1. Consumer Tips
2. What Is a VIN Number?
3. Types of VIN Scams

Consumer Tips

* Look closely at the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate, located on the driver’s side of the dashboard, to see if it appears tampered with.
* Never buy a used car without getting the vehicle’s title or pink slip at the time you buy it, in person. Double-check the VIN with the number listed on the title, the registration papers, and the federal certification label on the driver’s side door.
* Ask to see identification of the person who is selling you the car; record his/her name, address, phone number, and driver’s license number. Call the phone number before you buy the car. Often, scam artists will provide the phone number of a pay phone.

What Is a VIN Number?

Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) are serial numbers for vehicles that are used to differentiate similar makes and models. Similar to social security numbers, every vehicle has a unique VIN. VIN plates are located on the dashboard and can be viewed through the windshield. Law enforcement agencies use VINs to determine if a vehicle has an active theft record.

Types of VIN Scams

VIN Switch: Thieves use VIN switching to disguise the identity of a stolen vehicle. They will replace the VIN on a stolen vehicle with a VIN that is not recorded as stolen. The thief will then try to resell the stolen car to an unsuspecting customer. Some VIN switchers will also create fraudulent titles and registrations to go along with the vehicle.
Salvage Switch: A vehicle that is extensively damaged, burned, or stripped, and determined not to be eligible for repair is called “salvaged.” Thieves use phony identification to buy a salvaged vehicle just to obtain the title and the VIN.
Strip and Run: This is another scam that thieves use to disguise a stolen car. In this situation, a car thief steals a car, strips it for the parts, then abandons it.

Vehicle thefts have reduced in Michigan in 2007 and stealing a vehicle by hot-wiring is far less common. Between 1986 and 2007, the Automobile Theft Prevention Authority reports, vehicle theft in Michigan dropped 42%. While hot-wire thefts have dropped 16.5 % from 2006 to 2007 in Michigan. According to 2007 figures, thefts in Detroit dropped 14.2 in percentage. By numbers it has reduced from 22,918 to 19,655. Drop in thefts in Detroit was mainly due to a new policy introduced by police officials that people should report auto thefts in person rather than by phone. Troy is a few places where thefts increased to 15.6% from 2006 to 2007. Most of the vehicles were stolen on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the months of August, July and June. To prevent thefts, drivers should lock their doors while driving to thwart carjacking, avoid leaving GPS devices, music players or chargers in vehicles.

According to Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) the top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2008 that thieves like to steal. There are different purposes for auto theft, like luxury cars are stolen for export purpose and low end vehicles are stolen for transportation, parts or for use in other crimes. The top ten stolen vehicles are 2000 Honda civic Sir 2-door, 1999 Honda civic sir 2-door, 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4-door AWD, 1995 Dodge/Plymouth grand caravan/voyager, 1995 dodge/Plymouth caravan/voyager, 2002 Acura RSX Type S 2-door, 2001 Audi TT Quattro Roadster, 1995 Acura Integra 2-door, 1996 Dodge/Plymouth Neon 2-door, 1996 Dodge/Plymouth Neon 4 door.

There are lots of people who think that nobody would steal old neon, but this survey shows that are not only interested in new or high value vehicles. These older vehicles are easier to steal, because they do not have anti-theft electronic immobilizers. Thieves’ steal sporty vehicles like 2002 Acura RSX and 2001 Audi TT Quattro Roadster because they can make profit by shipping them overseas, and by selling them to unsuspected customers. Thieves also steal high-end four wheel drive vehicles like the Hummer H2, Cadillac Escalade, Lexus RX350, BMWX5, Mercedes Benz GL450, Lincoln MKX and Toyota RAV4 in great number because they can be shipped to places like west Africa and Middle east, where they are used for terrain. The recovery rate for stolen vehicles in Canada continues to decline.

In 2008, IBC investigators in partnership with law enforcement stopped 295 vehicles from leaving Canadian ports. In order to stop auto theft for export IBC partnered with law enforcement to identify and seize stolen vehicles that were being smuggled through two Canadian ports.