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#1
08-20-2013, 05:56 AM
> Car Theft < + more <
Leading Cause Of Car Theft In Florida Town: Keys Left In Car
83 percent of vehicles stolen in St. Petersburg, Fla., occured when the driver left keys in car
Posted: Aug 19, 2013 | By: Erin Marquis | AOL Autos
When St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster told a crowd at a mayoral forum that 60 percent of auto thefts in the city were due to drivers leaving keys inside the car, people were shocked. Politifact investigated the claim and found the mayor's estimate was indeed way off.
Of the 551 cars stolen in St. Petersburg so far this year, 460 had the keys either in the ignition or somewhere else in the vehicle.
That's 83 percent of vehicles stolen in the city.
You may be tempted, as Slate.com was, to blame forgetful elderly drivers. St. Petersburg Public Information Officer Mike Puetz says the problem actually lies with younger drivers.
"The image of St. Petersburg as a sleepy tourist town is a bit passé" Puetz told AOL Autos. "We have a higher rate of these kinds of thefts with young and middle aged adults. People figure they'll only be a minute or two. They think if they can see the vehicle they're safe, but it's not doing them any good. You're in the store and someone is stealing your car."
Younger Floridians are more likely to frequent local places thieves target, like convenience stores and coffee shops. Puetz says Florida's famous heat also plays a role. Drivers in Florida are hesitant to turn their cars off and shut down the air conditioning for a quick run into a store.
The problem is so widespread that St. Petersburg police created tongue-in-cheek public service announcement featuring a fictitious character, Willie Everlern, who is a Goofus type who ignores common sense and ends up having his car stolen while shopping for snacks.
Three cities in Florida made it onto a list of the worst driver's in America, but It's not just Florida getting hit in this crime wave caused by stupidity. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 40 percent of car thefts across the country are caused by carelessness.
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Ricardo Magallanes was driving from his home in Juárez, Mexico to the University of Texas El Paso when Board Patrol guards searched his car and found duffle bags bugling with marijuana in his...
14 Marines Busted For Stealing Cars, Selling Drugs In Massive Crime Sting
An extensive crime ring in San Diego, Calif., involving over 50 people including 7 active duty Marines, 7 retired Marines and a Navy sailor was busted in a sting operation on Thursday.
83 percent of vehicles stolen in St. Petersburg, Fla., occured when the driver left keys in car
Posted: Aug 19, 2013 | By: Erin Marquis | AOL Autos When St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster told a crowd at a mayoral forum that 60 percent of auto thefts in the city were due to drivers leaving keys inside the car, people were shocked. Politifact investigated the claim and found the mayor's estimate was indeed way off.
Of the 551 cars stolen in St. Petersburg so far this year, 460 had the keys either in the ignition or somewhere else in the vehicle.
That's 83 percent of vehicles stolen in the city.
You may be tempted, as Slate.com was, to blame forgetful elderly drivers. St. Petersburg Public Information Officer Mike Puetz says the problem actually lies with younger drivers.
"The image of St. Petersburg as a sleepy tourist town is a bit passé" Puetz told AOL Autos. "We have a higher rate of these kinds of thefts with young and middle aged adults. People figure they'll only be a minute or two. They think if they can see the vehicle they're safe, but it's not doing them any good. You're in the store and someone is stealing your car."
Younger Floridians are more likely to frequent local places thieves target, like convenience stores and coffee shops. Puetz says Florida's famous heat also plays a role. Drivers in Florida are hesitant to turn their cars off and shut down the air conditioning for a quick run into a store.
The problem is so widespread that St. Petersburg police created tongue-in-cheek public service announcement featuring a fictitious character, Willie Everlern, who is a Goofus type who ignores common sense and ends up having his car stolen while shopping for snacks.
Three cities in Florida made it onto a list of the worst driver's in America, but It's not just Florida getting hit in this crime wave caused by stupidity. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 40 percent of car thefts across the country are caused by carelessness.
More Auto News
Watch Out For "Sliding," The New Trend In Car Theft
Police call it a "crime of opportunity" that can happen in seconds. You're casually pumping gas, only vaguely aware of your surroundings, when out of nowhere someone slides into your car and steals...
- Read More < Click
Ford Key Codes Used To Smuggle Marijuana Into U.S.
Ricardo Magallanes was driving from his home in Juárez, Mexico to the University of Texas El Paso when Board Patrol guards searched his car and found duffle bags bugling with marijuana in his...
- Read More < Click
14 Marines Busted For Stealing Cars, Selling Drugs In Massive Crime Sting
An extensive crime ring in San Diego, Calif., involving over 50 people including 7 active duty Marines, 7 retired Marines and a Navy sailor was busted in a sting operation on Thursday.
- Read More < Click
Last edited by Space; 08-20-2013 at 06:23 AM.
#2
08-20-2013, 05:59 AM
Top 10 places in U.S. for auto theft
Matt Schmitz, Cars.com's Kicking Tires6:03 p.m. EDT July, 2013
<aside class="single-photo expandable-collapsed" style="width: 180px; clear: left; margin-bottom: 20px; float: left; display: block; position: relative; z-index: 100;" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" itemprop="associatedMedia">
(Photo: Adam Rountree, AP)
</aside>
In 1964, California crooners the Beach Boys sang ab
out having "fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away." Well, nearly 50 years later, Golden State residents still have to worry about someone snatching their ride from them — but it's not their daddy.
The Des Plaines, Ill.-based National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its latest "Hot Spots" vehicle-theft report, wrapping up thefts in 2012, and California once again dominates as a "hotbed for hot cars."
Of the top 10 hot spots for per-capita vehicle theft, California lays claim to eight, and the state of Washington to the balance. The NICB's list reviews vehicle thefts from the nation's metropolitan statistical areas; its data mirrors preliminary FBI vehicle-theft data for the same period. While there's nothing new in West Coast domination of the list, this year is special in that the 1.3% spike is the first annual increase following an eight-year downward trend in the crime, the NICB reported. The FBI will publish its final numbers in the fall.
<aside class="wide single-photo" style="width: auto; clear: left; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 60px; float: none; display: block; position: relative; z-index: 1;" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" itemprop="associatedMedia">
File photo of authorities checking the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on different parts of suspected stolen cars.(Photo: THOM BAUR XXX NONE)
</aside>
The designated West region — composed of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming — in 2012 experienced a 10.6% increase in vehicle thefts compared with 2011, bringing the entire nation's average up despite declines elsewhere. The Midwest, Northeast and South reported reductions of 3.1%, 7.9% and 2.9%, respectively.
Last year's second-place finisher, Modesto, Calif., wrested control of the No. 1 spot from Fresno, Calif., knocking it down one spot; Modesto had 4,260 thefts for a rate of 816.52 per 100,000 population, while Fresno had 7,563 thefts but a lower rate of 797.87 due to its greater population. Newcomers to this year's list are the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., area at No. 7, up from No. 20 last year, as well as Redding, Calif., all the way up to No. 10 from No. 40 in 2011. The Midland, Mich., and Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, Hawaii, areas boasted the fewest car thefts, with fewer than 20 each and a rate of less than 22.
The NICB advises motorists to take precautions against vehicle theft starting with common-sense measures like removing keys from the ignition, locking doors and closing windows, and parking in well-lit areas. Beyond that, bigger and better anti-theft measures include installing a warning device such as a car alarm, using immobilizing devices such as a smart key or fuse cutoffs and using a tracking device that emits a signal to authorities if the vehicle is stolen.
The NICB's 2012 top 10 theft Hot Spots (followed by 2011 rank) are:
Redding, Calif. (40)
Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (4)
Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. (9)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (20)
San Francisco/Oakland/Hayward, Calif. (6)
Yakima, Wash. (5)
Stockton, Calif. (7)
Bakersfield-Delano, Calif. (3)
Fresno, Calif. (1)
Modesto, Calif. (2)
Matt Schmitz, Cars.com's Kicking Tires6:03 p.m. EDT July, 2013
<aside class="single-photo expandable-collapsed" style="width: 180px; clear: left; margin-bottom: 20px; float: left; display: block; position: relative; z-index: 100;" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" itemprop="associatedMedia">
(Photo: Adam Rountree, AP)
</aside>
In 1964, California crooners the Beach Boys sang ab
out having "fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away." Well, nearly 50 years later, Golden State residents still have to worry about someone snatching their ride from them — but it's not their daddy.
The Des Plaines, Ill.-based National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its latest "Hot Spots" vehicle-theft report, wrapping up thefts in 2012, and California once again dominates as a "hotbed for hot cars."
Of the top 10 hot spots for per-capita vehicle theft, California lays claim to eight, and the state of Washington to the balance. The NICB's list reviews vehicle thefts from the nation's metropolitan statistical areas; its data mirrors preliminary FBI vehicle-theft data for the same period. While there's nothing new in West Coast domination of the list, this year is special in that the 1.3% spike is the first annual increase following an eight-year downward trend in the crime, the NICB reported. The FBI will publish its final numbers in the fall.
<aside class="wide single-photo" style="width: auto; clear: left; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 60px; float: none; display: block; position: relative; z-index: 1;" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" itemprop="associatedMedia">
File photo of authorities checking the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on different parts of suspected stolen cars.(Photo: THOM BAUR XXX NONE)</aside>
The designated West region — composed of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming — in 2012 experienced a 10.6% increase in vehicle thefts compared with 2011, bringing the entire nation's average up despite declines elsewhere. The Midwest, Northeast and South reported reductions of 3.1%, 7.9% and 2.9%, respectively.
Last year's second-place finisher, Modesto, Calif., wrested control of the No. 1 spot from Fresno, Calif., knocking it down one spot; Modesto had 4,260 thefts for a rate of 816.52 per 100,000 population, while Fresno had 7,563 thefts but a lower rate of 797.87 due to its greater population. Newcomers to this year's list are the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., area at No. 7, up from No. 20 last year, as well as Redding, Calif., all the way up to No. 10 from No. 40 in 2011. The Midland, Mich., and Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, Hawaii, areas boasted the fewest car thefts, with fewer than 20 each and a rate of less than 22.
The NICB advises motorists to take precautions against vehicle theft starting with common-sense measures like removing keys from the ignition, locking doors and closing windows, and parking in well-lit areas. Beyond that, bigger and better anti-theft measures include installing a warning device such as a car alarm, using immobilizing devices such as a smart key or fuse cutoffs and using a tracking device that emits a signal to authorities if the vehicle is stolen.
The NICB's 2012 top 10 theft Hot Spots (followed by 2011 rank) are:
Redding, Calif. (40)
Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (4)
Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. (9)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (20)
San Francisco/Oakland/Hayward, Calif. (6)
Yakima, Wash. (5)
Stockton, Calif. (7)
Bakersfield-Delano, Calif. (3)
Fresno, Calif. (1)
Modesto, Calif. (2)
#4
08-20-2013, 09:42 AM
I actually had a car stolen...
It was a 1970 Nova... with 27,000 original miles on it...I got it from my Mother in law... It was Mint green with tan interior. It had a 327 3 speed automatic... and Mag wheels (That I put on it) I had it for nearly 2 yrs...before it was stolen.... It was stolen from our apartment in New Baltimore... as my then wife use to drive it to work which was 3 miles from home... while I drove her little escort to work which was in downtown Detroit when I work for Boulevard and Trumbull towing .... 45 miles away from home...
Turns out the kid that stole it lived in Clinton township... One Friday night,
The mrs and I went out for ice cream on the Harley...we ended up at the bigboy at nine mile and Gratiot, out of the corner of my eye... I saw what I thought was a mint green nova... we quickly paid the bill and jumped on the Bike...gave chase down Gratiot ave. By the time we made it down to 11 mile and Gratiot we were right next to it...Low and behold....It was my NOVA! with 3 punk kids driving it...So, I pulled my Harley right in front of it...jumped off of my bike and immediately yanked the kid out of Nova!
everyone around us was wondering what was going on.... I hollered out for someone to call the cops. Which they did ... In the meantime the mrs was also involved and jerked his girlfriend out of the car thru the passenger window.... The kid did change the ignition ... so my key didn't work (cause I still had the keys on me) but the kid didn't change the trunk lock.... Which when the cops got there I proved that it was my car... because a cpl months earlier I had put shocks on it and accidentally blew holes thru the inner wheel wells with the torch as I had to cut the rears off... Sure enuff the marks from the torch were there... which was proof enough that I had a valid claim to the car. after they impounded it a month later they checked the vin numbers and it showed it was stolen and that the Nova was mine... Which they promptly returned it to me...
Heres the Irony of the whole thing....
My then wife,
Haddnt seen her father in over 14 yrs... Wouldn't you know it... The tow truck driver was her estranged father!
She saw him once after that as he passed away a short time later from a heart attack..
It was a 1970 Nova... with 27,000 original miles on it...I got it from my Mother in law... It was Mint green with tan interior. It had a 327 3 speed automatic... and Mag wheels (That I put on it) I had it for nearly 2 yrs...before it was stolen.... It was stolen from our apartment in New Baltimore... as my then wife use to drive it to work which was 3 miles from home... while I drove her little escort to work which was in downtown Detroit when I work for Boulevard and Trumbull towing .... 45 miles away from home...
Turns out the kid that stole it lived in Clinton township... One Friday night,
The mrs and I went out for ice cream on the Harley...we ended up at the bigboy at nine mile and Gratiot, out of the corner of my eye... I saw what I thought was a mint green nova...
we quickly paid the bill and jumped on the Bike...gave chase down Gratiot ave. By the time we made it down to 11 mile and Gratiot we were right next to it...Low and behold....It was my NOVA! with 3 punk kids driving it...So, I pulled my Harley right in front of it...jumped off of my bike and immediately yanked the kid out of Nova!everyone around us was wondering what was going on.... I hollered out for someone to call the cops. Which they did ... In the meantime the mrs was also involved and jerked his girlfriend out of the car thru the passenger window.... The kid did change the ignition ... so my key didn't work (cause I still had the keys on me) but the kid didn't change the trunk lock.... Which when the cops got there I proved that it was my car... because a cpl months earlier I had put shocks on it and accidentally blew holes thru the inner wheel wells with the torch as I had to cut the rears off... Sure enuff the marks from the torch were there... which was proof enough that I had a valid claim to the car. after they impounded it a month later they checked the vin numbers and it showed it was stolen and that the Nova was mine... Which they promptly returned it to me...
Heres the Irony of the whole thing....
My then wife,
Haddnt seen her father in over 14 yrs... Wouldn't you know it... The tow truck driver was her estranged father!
She saw him once after that as he passed away a short time later from a heart attack..
#5
08-20-2013, 11:53 AM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,156
#6
08-20-2013, 04:34 PM
Hi Mod `David,
WoW, that's an amazing story with a wild twist. It's like it was meant to `be 4 a reason...Thanks for sharing...Did you keep the Nova after that ?
I liked that year & model...Did the theft go to jail for a long time ?
Today it seems like that get out of jail the same night that they get caught
. I don't like people that take from others 4-Sure...
WoW, that's an amazing story with a wild twist. It's like it was meant to `be 4 a reason...Thanks for sharing...Did you keep the Nova after that ?
I liked that year & model...Did the theft go to jail for a long time ?
Today it seems like that get out of jail the same night that they get caught
. I don't like people that take from others 4-Sure...
#7
08-20-2013, 08:11 PM
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Brockville Ontario
Posts: 3,052
wow, David that is a weird story to say the least. I have always been amazed by the chain of events that have to take place in sequence for a specific event to occur, such as accidents and chance meetings. It is scary to think, how if they had not run the yellow light, or turned left instead of waiting for the people to cross the street the event would never have occurred, and that is not to mention the series of events that everyone else involved has to go through in order to be a part of the whole big thing (yes in my last job I had a lot, and I mean a lot of spare time on my hands lol) but it is like The Maniac stated, maybe there was an estranged reason for the theft, which caused the pathways to cross between two people which without the theft may never have occurred.
but for Space' original question, no I have not had any of my vehicles stolen, but some punks did break in to my Monte last summer, put a scratch in the driver side window, tore apart the glove box and center console throwing everything around the car, but didn't take anything. They didn't even open the trunk which had most of my musical gear in it, as I had just finished a gig, and was going to play again in a couple days so was lazy and left it in the trunk, but thank god they were lazier than I was. But I can honestly say that I felt violated after that night.
but for Space' original question, no I have not had any of my vehicles stolen, but some punks did break in to my Monte last summer, put a scratch in the driver side window, tore apart the glove box and center console throwing everything around the car, but didn't take anything. They didn't even open the trunk which had most of my musical gear in it, as I had just finished a gig, and was going to play again in a couple days so was lazy and left it in the trunk, but thank god they were lazier than I was. But I can honestly say that I felt violated after that night.
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