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Questions and Answers
What is a common technique used by joy riders to steal vehicles?
What is the purpose of a Slim Jim?
What is an example of auto theft fraud?
What is the primary objective of a criminal investigation in an auto theft case?
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What is the purpose of a VIN number?
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Where can a VIN number typically be found?
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What is the most common location where auto thefts occur?
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What is a sign of a stolen vehicle?
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What is the term for taking a vehicle without consent and driving it for a short time before abandoning it?
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What should an officer ask occupants of a suspicious vehicle?
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What is the purpose of removing parts and accessories from a stolen vehicle?
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What is the term for stealing a vehicle for the purpose of selling it to an unsuspecting buyer?
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What should an officer look for when inspecting a vehicle?
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Where are Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) commonly located on U.S.-produced vehicles?
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What is the method of attachment requirement for VINs on U.S.-produced vehicles?
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What is an example of auto theft for insurance reasons, as mentioned in the text?
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Study Notes
Auto Theft Investigation
- Common motives for auto theft include joy riding, use in crime, stripping, and resale.
Theft Categories
- Joy riding:
- Usually committed by young offenders
- Vehicle is taken without consent and driven for a short time before being abandoned
- Accessories may be removed and sold
- Use in crime:
- Vehicle is used as transportation to the scene of another crime or for actual use in a crime
- Eliminates identification through the license plate
- Stripping:
- Removal of parts and accessories for personal use or resale
- Usually taken out of the area, with VIN hidden
- Resale:
- Theft for insurance reasons
- Examples: John Canard and his jeep, stolen Ford Escort
- Organized theft rings, vehicles exported to foreign countries
Common Auto Theft Techniques
- Keys left in ignition:
- Joy riders, drifters, and thieves target vehicles with keys left in the ignition
- Example: Jones story, kid from Walmart
- Slim Jim/ignition defeating device:
- Thin metal device used to manipulate door lock
- Can be hand-made
- Tool used to damage the locking mechanism of the ignition switch
- Pliers:
- Used to twist the ignition
- Screw driver:
- Used to start the vehicle
- Window smash:
- Vehicle's window is completely broken out to appear to be merely open
- Ignition switch is then defeated
Auto Theft Fraud
- Owner initiated fraud for financial gain
- Example: wrecked vehicle using a picture
- Defrauding insurance company
- Often reported from large shopping centers
- Fraud cases are difficult to prove
- Lack of witnesses, good interrogation, and checking financial status
Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)
- Explanation of how to read VINs on U.S.-built vehicles
- Characters are read from left to right
- Positions:
- #1: Country in which the vehicle was built
- #2: Manufacturing company
- #3: Make of Vehicle
- #4 and 5: Car line/series
- #6: Body style
- #7: Restraint codes
- #8: Engine type
- #9: Check digit
- #10: Model year
- #11: Plant location
- #12-17: Production sequence number
VIN Locations
- Dashboard: public VIN
- Driver's Door: federal safety certification label
- Engine block
- Attached by Rosette Rivet on all U.S.-made GMC, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC vehicles since 1975
- Indicators of a stolen vehicle:
- Altered or missing VIN
- Punched ignition
- Broken steering columns
- Wrong plates
- No inspection sticker
- Ask occupants about contents of glove box and trunk
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Description
Learn about the primary objectives and procedures of conducting a criminal investigation, including the preliminary investigation steps for auto theft cases.
