THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250074
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARA STANLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 141 lines
When Michell Rountree's 1993 green Honda was stolen from a Norfolk restaurant, she feared she wouldn't get it back.
``It was locked, the sun roof wasn't open, the windows were closed. It's just gone,'' Rountree said in early August, just after the theft.
But she was fortunate. Her car was recovered the next day in Norfolk, the South Hampton Roads city where auto-theft detectives are best at recovering cars and arresting thieves.
Rountree might not have been as lucky if her car had been stolen in Chesapeake, where she lives. About 25 percent of the cars stolen in Chesapeake were recovered in 1992-94. Norfolk recovered 96 percent.
In fact, Chesapeake detectives recovered the fewest stolen cars in the region, by percentage, according to statistics provided from the FBI's Uniform Crime Report and the local police departments.
The likelihood of stolen cars being returned to owners is tied to the city where the theft occurred. In most cities, 85 percent or more are recovered - that's better than the state average of 71 percent. But Suffolk and Chesapeake recover considerably fewer.
The chance that suspects will be arrested also varies from city to city. Here and across the state, most car-theft cases are never solved. In Virginia, 19 arrests were made for every 100 cars stolen in 1992-94. In Hampton Roads, only Norfolk and Suffolk had a higher arrest rate. Virginia Beach arrested only six thieves per 100 cars.
On the Peninsula, Hampton ranked third-best in arresting thieves; Newport News ranked fifth.
Car theft is common in this region - more than 5,700 cars were stolen last year in Hampton Roads. And Portsmouth, with about 1,182 auto thefts per 100,000 residents, had the worst rate in the state in 1993.
Statistics and interviews with local departments illustrate the different ways each police department approaches car thefts.
For instance, in Portsmouth and Norfolk, where auto theft is more prevalent, detectives tend to devote more time and resources to the problem.
Norfolk Police Chief Melvin C. High reported last week that auto thefts in Norfolk had increased 54.4 percent for the first eight months of 1995, compared to the same period in 1994. He said auto thefts in Virginia Beach were up 23.1 percent for the same period; Chesapeake, up 27.5 percent; Hampton, up 11.7 percent; and Portsmouth, down 8.4 percent.
``Everyone needs a car to get to work,'' said Detective G.J. Dayton of Norfolk, where six detectives arrested more thieves than in any other Hampton Roads city - about 23 per 100 cars stolen.
Chesapeake, however, ranked among the lowest in recoveries and arrests. Chesapeake police averaged about nine arrests per 100 cars stolen in 1992-94. Two detectives are assigned to investigate auto thefts.
Chesapeake Capt. Edward W. White Jr. disclaimed the Uniform Crime Report data, which is supplied annually by his department. He said his department has its own way of keeping statistics, which show the number of stolen-car recoveries in Chesapeake rivals that of Norfolk. But he acknowledged arrest rates were low.
In Suffolk, there is no auto-theft unit, so all eight detectives investigate. Yet police made an average of 20 arrests per 100 cars stolen. But car recoveries are low in Suffolk - only about 30 percent of stolen cars were recovered from 1992-94.
By contrast, Virginia Beach residents whose cars are stolen probably will get them back. But they should not expect police to go after the thieves. Virginia Beach police recovered about 88 percent of the cars stolen during the past three years but made fewer arrests per stolen car than other Hampton Roads cities.
``With the amount of cases we have, there is no way we can jump and go look for a car,'' said Sgt. P.A. Gough.
Usually arrests are made only if the thief is caught with the car, he said. Nearly all of that city's stolen cars are found abandoned after being taken by joy-riding juveniles.
In Portsmouth, two detectives are assigned to solve auto-theft cases.
``A motor vehicle is probably the second-highest investment that a person makes besides their house,'' said Detective L.C. Rucker.
The Portsmouth detectives are good at finding cars. The number of arrests per stolen car was lower than the state average but still higher than in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
About 87 percent of the cars stolen in Portsmouth in 1992-94 were recovered and police arrested an average of about 13 thieves per 100 stolen cars.
Rucker said he communicates with detectives in neighboring cities to swap information about stolen cars that are driven across city lines and abandoned. But it is sometimes hard to keep up, he said.
Police across the region agree. They said auto theft is one of the most frustrating crimes to solve.
Even when they do catch a thief - sometimes at the wheel - it's often a juvenile who can evade serious punishment. Very often, the younger thieves steal again, police say.
``When we lose, it's in the court system,'' said Dayton, the Norfolk detective. ``Most thieves just get a slap on the wrist in court.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Color graphic by John Corbitt
Research by Mara Stanley
Hampton Roads Car Thefts for '94
Car-theft arrests
Stolen-Car recoveries
For copy of graphic, see microfilm.
Side Bar
Theft-prevention devices
Cut-off switch. Cost: less than $200. This device cuts off the gas
or computer system. The only way to defeat it is to tow the car,
police said.
Mechanical devices. Cost: less than $100. Devices like the Club,
the Hammer, and The Cap prevent the steering wheel from turning. But
the steering wheel can be cut and the Club and the Hammer can be
slipped off. The Cap may be more effective because it fits over the
entire wheel like a garbage-can lid. Column locks fit around the
steering column, preventing a thief from yanking out the ignition
switch.
Alarms. Cost: $200 to $1,000. Alarms make a lot of noise to draw
attention. But false alarms are almost inevitable, so people tend to
ignore them.
Pass keys. Cost: See dealer. A pass key with a computer chip inside
it is the only thing that can start the car. When General Motors
began installing special pass keys in certain cars, thefts of those
cars plunged, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Smoke-defense machines. Cost: about $500. Smoke-defense machines
that fill cars with non-toxic smoke may be of dubious value. Police
say the thief can just roll down the windows.
by CNB