The theft of automobiles is way down nationally. This welcome turn of events isn’t due to courts throwing away the key on car thieves or some moral epiphany on the part of those taking wheels they don’t own. No, the real answer is the proliferation of modern cars equipped with manufacturer-installed electronic immobilizers.
And as older, not so-equipped cars meet the crusher, the supply of easily stolen rides diminishes daily. Of course there are also numerous owner-initiated preventative measures, such as steering wheel locks and alarm systems, that have contributed to fewer rolling stolens. These measures are not always that effective.
Take for example the owner that found bare curb where his pride-and-joy had been parked. The thieves had the audacity to carefully place his steering wheel lock next to his front door just to add insult to injury.
Defeating the car thief may have a sinister side though. Law enforcement was worried that violent car jackings would spike as cars became more theft proof. Interestingly, this has not been the case. Perhaps the old “juvenile delinquent” standby of joy riding has gone the way of cheap gas and 8-track stereos.
Regrettably though, criminals continue to rely upon cars – stolen and not – to get them to and from the scene of the crime, and to transport their ill-gotten loot. Maybe if judges chose to throw away more cell keys, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about our car keys.
Most stolen vehicles these days are liberated with the use of the owner’s key. Sometimes that key is stolen in a break-in or from a pocket but more than not, the key is found in the ignition of a car with frosty windows and billowing exhaust. Let’s do our part to keep those keys out of undeserving hands.
And as older, not so-equipped cars meet the crusher, the supply of easily stolen rides diminishes daily. Of course there are also numerous owner-initiated preventative measures, such as steering wheel locks and alarm systems, that have contributed to fewer rolling stolens. These measures are not always that effective.
Take for example the owner that found bare curb where his pride-and-joy had been parked. The thieves had the audacity to carefully place his steering wheel lock next to his front door just to add insult to injury.
Defeating the car thief may have a sinister side though. Law enforcement was worried that violent car jackings would spike as cars became more theft proof. Interestingly, this has not been the case. Perhaps the old “juvenile delinquent” standby of joy riding has gone the way of cheap gas and 8-track stereos.
Regrettably though, criminals continue to rely upon cars – stolen and not – to get them to and from the scene of the crime, and to transport their ill-gotten loot. Maybe if judges chose to throw away more cell keys, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about our car keys.
Most stolen vehicles these days are liberated with the use of the owner’s key. Sometimes that key is stolen in a break-in or from a pocket but more than not, the key is found in the ignition of a car with frosty windows and billowing exhaust. Let’s do our part to keep those keys out of undeserving hands.