If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. r u.s. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice Office ofDevelopment, Testing, and Dissemination ( I, --1 I I Vehicle Theft Prevention Strategies • How big is the car theft problem? • What goes into a comprehensive anti-theft program? • Who needs to be involved? • Can you get car owners, departments of motor vehicles, police agencies, insurance companies, prosecutors, and legislators to combine forces? • Why is regional and national cooperation important? o U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of JUstice This document .ha~ bee~ ~Gproduced exactly as received from the pe;~?n or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated '< In IS document. ~re tho.s.e of the authors and do not necessarll ~:;~~~nt the official position or policies of the National Institute ~ {\!.~ ... '\ Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by ~ l BEVERLY N.W. r.EE/~mANNTNA p. RIKOSKI ~ .. 1, to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). .. I Further reprodu~tion oUlside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the copYright owner. 0 , ,1 ··.~I U.S. Department of Justice 'i .f ii '.,l National Institute of Justice "\ \ I Office oj Development, Testing and Dissemination i -I \l'~.', I'~". ,; ,i r r r' • About the National Institute of Justice " The National Institute of Justice is a research branch of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Institute's mission is to develop knowledge about crime. its causes and control. Priority is given to policy-relevant research that can yield approaches and information State and local agencies can use in preventing and \ reducing crime. Established in 1979 by the Justice System Improvement Act. NIJ builds upon the foundation laid bv the former National lnstitute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. the first major Federal f\ resear~h program on crime and justice. Vehicle Theft Prevention Strategies Carrying out the mandate assigned by Congress. the National Institute of Justice: j • Sponsors research and development to improve and strengthen the criminal justice system and related civil justice aspects. with a balanced program of basic and applied research. ] IJ • Evaluates the effectiveness of federally funded justice improvement programs and identifies programs \1 that promise to be successful if continued or repeated. Ii by • Tests and demonstrates new and improved approaches tt.'J strengthen the justice system. and recommends actions that can be taken by Federal.. State. and local governments and private organizations and Beverly N. W. Lee and individuals to achieve this goal. Giannina P. Rikoski • Disseminates informatIon from research. demonstrations. evaluations. and special programs to Federal. il!" State. and local governments; and serves as an international clearinghouse of justice information. • Trains criminal justice practitioners in research and evaluation findings. and assists the research commun­ r with assistance from ity through fellowships and special seminars. t Debra Whitcomb Authority for administering the Institute and awarding grants. contracts. and cooperative agreements is vested in the NIJ Director. An Advisory Board. appointed by the President. assists the Director by recom­ mending policies and priorities and advising on peer review procedures. Reports of N IJ-sponsored studies are reviewed by Institute officials and staff. The views of outside experts knowledgeable in the report's subject area are also obtained. Publication indicates that the report meets the Institute's standards of technical quality, but it signifies no endorsement of conclusions or recommendations. June 1984 James K. Stewart DireclOr Issues and Practices in Criminal Justice is a publication series of the National Institute of Justice. Designed for the criminal ., justice professional, each Issu~ and Practices report presents the program options and management issues in a topic area, based on a review of research and evaluation findings, operational experience, and expert opinion in the subject. The intent is to provide criminal justice managers and administrators with the information to make informed choices in plan­ ning, implementing and improving programs and practice. Prepared for the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice by Abt Associates Inc., under contract number J-LEAA-013-78. Point.. of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily repre­ [~or snle 01' the Supel'IIl(~lla~lJt DC DoculllelJt~, n.s. GO\'crnmellt PrInting Olllcc Wnshlngton, D.C. 20402 I sent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. , , I --------! ! ··r $ Ii I Table of Contents ." ;;t" ! Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION ..........................................~ag~ ,/ 1.0 Description of the Vehicle Theft Problem. 1 ~ , J 1.1 Brief History of Prevention Efforts. .. 3 1.1.1 The Federal Role. .. 4 r ~),~ r 1.1.2 The Role of Private, Professional, and Trade Organizations. 6 1.1.3 National Workshop on Auto Theft Prevention ............ , 8 The following individuals provided information and assistance in the conduct of this study: ~ 1.2 OV6iview of the Monograph. .. 8 Advisory Panel 'Chapter 2: VEHICLE INDUSTRIES: MANUFACTURING, DISMANTLINGI RECYCLING, SCRAP PROCESSORS .......................... 11 2.0 Introduction............................................... 11 Mr. Donald Bardell Mr. Glendon B. Craig 2.1 Vehicle Manufacturing Industry ............................. , 11 Executive Director Former Commissioner . 2.1.1 Improved Documentation: The Uniform Manufacturer's American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators California State Highway Patrol Certificate of Origin. .. 11 Washington, D.C. Sacramento, California 2.1.2 Vehicle Security Devices. .. 12 2.1.3 Identification of Vehicles and Parts ..................... 16 2.2 Dismantling/Recycling Industries ............................ 18 Mr. Dennis Curran Mr. Paul Gilliland 2.2.2 Recordkeeping Requirements. .. 20 Former Assistant Counsel President 2.2.3 Inspection and Enforcement ........................... 22 to the Governor of Massachusetts National Auto Theft Bureau 2.3 Summary................................................. 22 Boston, Massachusetts Palos Hills, Illinois Chapter 3: TITLING AND REGISTRATION PRACTICES. .. 25 3.0 Introduction ................................................ 25 Mr. Thomas Horrigan Mr. Stephen Weglian 3.1 Preventing Fraudulent Documentation ........................ 28 Executive Secretary Attorney 3.1.1 Document Uniformity. .. 28 International Association General Litigation and Legal J\dvice Section 3.1.2 Document Safety: Storage, Centralized Issuance, and of Auto Theft Inverogators U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division Security Features... .. 29 Wheaton, Maryland Washington D.C. 3.1,3 Do?u.ment Authenticity............................... 32 3.1.4 Training ............................................ 33 Program Monitor 3.2 Preventing Alterations of Vehicle Identification Numbers. .. 34 3.2.1 VIN Uniformity ....................................... 34 Ms. Carol Dorsey 3.2.2 VIN Inspection Programs .............................. 35 National Institute of Justice 3.2.3 VIN Replacement Procedures .......... " .............. 36 Washington, D.C. 3.3 Preventing the "Salvage Switch" . .. 40 3.3.1 Establishing Titling Procedures for Salvage Vehicles ...... .41 3.3.2 Inspection of Rebuilt Salvage Vehicles. .. 45 3.3.3 licensing and Regulating Salvage Processors ....•..•.... 46 3.3.4 Protocol for Control of Vehicle Identification Number Plates on Salvage Vehicles ............................. 48 3.4 Motor Vehicle Agency Investigative Resources. .. 50 3.4.1 ,Motor Vehicle Information Systems ...................... 51 3.4.2 DMV Auto Theft Investigative Units. .. 52 3.5 Summary................................................. 56 Chapter 4: INSURANCE PRACTICES. • . • . .. 59 4.0 Introduction ........... ,. .. 59 4.1 Preventing Vehicle Theft ln~urance Fraud. .. 59 4.1.1 Preventing "Pape~·OaJ$u .............................. 60 4.1.2 Improving Processing of Theft Claims. .. 61 4.1.3 Owner Reporting ReqlJirernents ........................ 64 4.1.4 Criminal Penalties for Insurance Fraud. .. 66 4.1.5 Legal Immunity from Liability for Release of Vehicle Theft Related Information ...................... 68 4.2 Improving Insurance Practices in Total Loss Settlements ......... 69 4.3 Preventing Theft and Fraud Through a Supportive Insurance Market System. • . .. 71 , 4.4 Summary .•................................................ 73 , " r Table of Contents ,f (continued) Page r Chapter 5: CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RESPONSE. .. 77 I 5.0 Intro d uc tIon.· . ................. 77'78 I 5.1 Local Law Enforcement. .. 78 5.1.1 Crime Prevention and Public Educatl~>n Efforts. .. 81 ( 5 1 2 Routine Vehicle Reports and Recoveries ............ : . .. 83 5:1:3 Special Investigative Units in Law Enforcement Agencies .. Chapter 1 5.2 State Law En f orcemen t .......................... ........... 8885 5.3 Prosecu tl on ................ ,.:........ ................... 89 INTRODUCTION . j 5.4 Regional and National Coordination .... : . .. 90 (r 5.4.1 Coordination in Auto Theft Prevention ................... 91 5.4.2 Coordinated Legislative Efforts .......... , , ,', .... , .... 5.5 Summary., ................................. , .............. 92 1.0 Description of the Vehicle Theft Problem APPENDICES In 1981, over 1,07y,988 motor vehicles were stolen, worth a total of