 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
|
