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Fritz Grimsley

ORANGE COUNTY AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE
A Multijursidictional Law Enforcement Program

Orange County Auto Theft Statistics

In calendar year 1993, California led the nation with 313,804 vehicle thefts, or 21% of the national total.  Southern California accounted for more than 62% of the state's total.  Orange County accounted for 10.4% of the 62%, or 20,145 vehicles stolen.  The loss to Orange County victims and insurance companies was over $100,000,000.00. 

From 1993 until the first half of calendar year 2000, Orange County had a decline yearly in the number of vehicle thefts committed.  During the second half of calendar year 2000, Orange County began to realize an increase in the number of vehicles stolen over past years.  This continued until 2006 when there was once again a significant decrease in thefts. During 2008, Orange County experienced a 19.6% decrease from 2007.

In June 2008, the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT) completed its fifteenth year of operation, combating the incidence of auto theft by professional criminals in Orange County and throughout the southern California region.

During the 15-year period, OCATT investigators arrested 930 suspects involved in the theft, renumbering or otherwise disguising, and sale of stolen motor vehicles.  Investigators also recovered over 4,333 motor vehicles with a value of approximately $66,906,279.00. 

The mode of thefts of automobiles has also changed during the past fifteen years.  In 1993, when the Task Force began, it was common for the professional auto thief to be a one or two man operation.  The same suspects would steal the vehicle(s), change the numbers (VIN switch) and arrange for the vehicles’ disposition.  Often times, OCATT investigators would break up a 20-car ring and only arrest a couple of individuals.  Today, as in society, everyone is a specialist.  In the auto theft world, now one, or a crew of individuals, steal the automobile, others renumber it, others arrange false paperwork, and still someone else arranges the sale of the stolen vehicle to innocent purchasers.

The advancements in technology over the past fifteen years have not gone unnoticed by the professional auto thief.  Today, auto thieves are using the Internet and other computer sources to create false identities or obtain information on real citizens and commit identity theft.  These innocent parties’ identities are used to purchase new vehicles, rent vehicles and register stolen vehicles.

During 2008, 273 vehicles were successfully recovered by OCATT personnel worth an estimated  $6,150,891.00.  The average value of the vehicles they recovered was $22,530.74.

OCATT detectives made 30 physical arrests of vehicle theft suspects during 2008.  Additionally, OCATT detectives filed criminal complaints on another 26 suspects.  OCATT detectives assisted allied agency personnel make an additional 50 arrests during the same time period.

Orange County Auto Thefts
Calendar Years 1993 - 2008

Year
Orange
County
Population
Licensed
Drivers in
County
Vehicle
Registrations
in County
Vehicle
Thefts in
County
Increase /
Decrease
in Thefts
Thefts per 1000
Registered
Vehicles
1993 2,576,000 1,803,300 1,890,556 20,145 1234 10.7
1994 2,615,300 1,800,500 1,876,575 19,196 - 4.7% 10.2
1995 2,614,800 1,701,400 1,914,625 16,788 - 12.5% 8.8
1996
2,649,800
1,810,600
1,957,200
13,822
- 17.6%
7.1
1997
2,705,300
1,828,300
1,881,148
12,137
- 12.6%
6.6
1998
2,763,900
1,854,000
2,015,296
10,884
- 10.3%
5.4
1999
2,813,700
1,877,651
2,051,569
9,673
- 11.1%
4.7
2000
2,893,100
1,905,170
2,125,552
9,847
+ 1.8%
4.6
2001
2,925,200
1,945,258
2,178,313
11,139
+ 13.1%
5.1
2002
 2,939,500
1,988,664
2,247,656
10,842
- 2.7%
4.8
2003 2,978,800
1,987,180
2,238,415
11,256
+ 3.8%
5.0
2004
 3,017,300
1,981,373
2,523,852
12,508
+11.1%
5.0
2005
3,056,865
1,983,385
2,504,202
13,360
+6.5%
5.3
2006 3,071,924 1,998,855 2,545,849 10,987
-17.8%
4.3
2007
3,098,121
2,024,425
2,541,604
9,501
-13.5%
3.7
2008
3,107,500
2,025,409
2,526,427
7,633
-19.6%
3.0
Above Statistics based on California Highway Patrol VTIS Reports and DMV Information
           1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 2000 2001  2002  2003  2004 2005  2006  2007  2008

TOP TEN CARS STOLEN IN ORANGE COUNTY IN 2007
TOP TEN CARS STOLEN IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2008
TOP TEN CARS STOLEN IN CALIFORNIA IN 2008


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