Motor Vehicle Theft

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Motor Vehicle Theft

• Mike Steeves
• La Junta Police Department
• La Junta, CO 81050

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Objectives

• Go to page 539, Criminal Investigation
• Be able to answer the questions in Do You Know?
• Know the definitions

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Motor Vehicle Identification

• The VIN is the primary, non-duplicated,
  serialized number assigned by the manufacturer to
  each vehicle made.
• This number, critical in motor vehicle theft
  investigations, identifies the specific vehicle
  in question

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Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act of 1984

• Requires manufacturers to put the 17 digit VIN on
  14 specified component parts
• Engine
• Hood
• Transmission

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Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act of 1984

• Both front fenders
• Both front doors
• Both bumpers
• Both rear quarter panels
• Both rear doors
• Deck lid, hatch panel, or tailgate

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Other Numbers Used (Optional)

• Engine Number. May or may not be the same as the
  VIN
• Engine Production Code Number. Assigned to groups
  of engines having identical characteristics
  produced at a specific plant during a specific
  period

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Other Numbers Used (Optional)

• Unit Production Code Number. Assigned to rear
  axles or transmissions.

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Classification

• Joyriding
• Transportation
• Stripping for parts and accessories
• Using to commit another crime
• Reselling for profit

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Colorado Statute

• 18-4-409 Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft
• 1st Degree
• 2nd Degree (AKA joyriding)
• 85 of the vehicle thefts in this country are by
  juveniles out joyriding
• Joyriding is a misdemeanor

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Tangent

• If 85 of the thefts nationwide are
  misdemeanors.what is the necessity for high
  speed pursuits after a stolen car?
• I meanwho gives a rats rosy red one? Is it
  worth dying or killing for?

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Elements of the Crime

• Intentionally taking or driving
• A motor vehicle
• Without the consent of the owner or the owners
  authorized agent
• Motor Vehicles defined in 18-4-109 (1)(1)

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Motor Vehicle Embezzlement

• If the person who took the vehicle initially had
  consent and then exceeded the terms of that
  consent
• Ive never seen this one in Colorado

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Interstate Transportation

• Dyer Act made interstate transportation of a
  stolen motor vehicle a federal crime
• Also includes aircraft

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Interstate Transportation - Dyer Act

• The motor vehicle was stolen
• Transported in interstate commerce or foreign
  commerce
• Person transporting or causing to be transported
  knew it to be stolen
• Person receiving, concealing, selling, or
  bartering knew it to be stolen

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Out-of-state

• What does CRS have to say about taking a Colorado
  car out of state?

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Preliminary Investigation

• Take the usual information. The only difference
  is that you have a motor vehicle as the stolen
  property. Make sure you completely describe the
  victim vehicle - to include registration
  information, VIN, color, MMY, and any other
  pertinent details

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False Reports

• Little Bobby took the car and dumped it in
  downtown Denver, then hitched a ride back. Easy
  transport up, saves mummy and daddy getting mad
  at little Bobby
• The RepoMan got it

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Insurance Fraud

• The owner can park it in the mall with the keys
  in itor
• The owner can have it burned
• When you get a theft or destruction of a fairly
  high dollar vehicle - one that has payments still
  due on itpay close attention to the owner

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National Automobile Theft Bureau

• Nonprofit organization funded by more than 400
  insurance companies
• Five divisions and several branch offices in the
  US, Mexico, and Canada
• Stores and shares information on several million
  wanted or stolen cars

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Recognizing the Stolen Car

• The characteristics shown on page 550 are well
  and good, but some are nothing more than a
  profile and we should know by now what profile
  stops will get you
• Go with physical oddities that constitute good
  reasonable suspicion or probable cause

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Recognizing the Stolen Car

• Use those bits, plus your observations of the
  driver and the drivers demeanor, and your
  experience, to develop good reason to stop the
  car and probe more deeply

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Recovering an Abandoned or Stolen Vehicle

• Most are recovered within 48 hours. That makes
  sense, given that the vast majority of cars are
  stolen by juvenile joyriders
• Joyriders notwithstanding, you should approach a
  recovered stolen car as though its a crime scene
  of more significance

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Recovering an Abandoned or Stolen Vehicle

• Would it not be a kick in the buns to discover
  that the car you recovered was used in a double
  homicide in New Mexico?
• How do you know?
• You dont.

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Recovering an Abandoned or Stolen Vehicle

• Before getting into the car or otherwise messing
  with it, check with the originating agency to see
  if it needs to be secured for investigators.

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Preventing Motor Vehicle Theft

• Effective educational campaigns for the public
  are most effective
• See the list of suggestions on page 553

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Thefts of Other Types of Motor Vehicles

• Trucks and trailers - usually stolen by
  professionals. The cargo is usually the target
• Construction vehicles and equipment. Parts are
  easily sold and there is no organized ID system
  for the equipment or components

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Thefts of Other Types of Motor Vehicles

• Recreational vehicles also contain high dollar
  accessories. Very popular in Mexicoso much so
  that some Mexican police departments use stolen
  Gringo RVs and SUVs for their patrol fleet

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Thefts of Other Types of Motor Vehicles

• Motorized boats, especially on trailers. IDs are
  on the hull someplace. The Coast Guard requires
  boats of certain classes and sizes to be marked
  with ID numbers above and beyond registration
  stickers

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Thefts of Other Types of Motor Vehicles

• Snowmobiles use chassis and VIN numbers. These
  little winners, like personal watercraft, are
  easy to hide in trailers and vans
• Motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds
• Hell, just pick it up and take it away
• They all have some kind of ID system

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Summary

• See page 556
• Checklist on page 556
• Discussion questions on page 558

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Questions?