Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a common technique used by joy riders to steal vehicles?
What is a common technique used by joy riders to steal vehicles?
- Breaking the window to hotwire the vehicle
- Using a Slim Jim to unlock the door
- Leaving keys in the ignition (correct)
- Stealing the vehicle's VIN plate
What is the purpose of a Slim Jim?
What is the purpose of a Slim Jim?
- To start a vehicle without a key
- To break the window of a vehicle
- To unlock a vehicle door (correct)
- To remove a vehicle's VIN plate
What is an example of auto theft fraud?
What is an example of auto theft fraud?
- Selling a stolen vehicle to a dealership
- Intentionally damaging a vehicle to claim insurance (correct)
- Reporting a stolen vehicle to the insurance company
- Reporting a false stolen vehicle to the police
What is the primary objective of a criminal investigation in an auto theft case?
What is the primary objective of a criminal investigation in an auto theft case?
What is the purpose of a VIN number?
What is the purpose of a VIN number?
Where can a VIN number typically be found?
Where can a VIN number typically be found?
What is the most common location where auto thefts occur?
What is the most common location where auto thefts occur?
What is a sign of a stolen vehicle?
What is a sign of a stolen vehicle?
What is the term for taking a vehicle without consent and driving it for a short time before abandoning it?
What is the term for taking a vehicle without consent and driving it for a short time before abandoning it?
What should an officer ask occupants of a suspicious vehicle?
What should an officer ask occupants of a suspicious vehicle?
What is the purpose of removing parts and accessories from a stolen vehicle?
What is the purpose of removing parts and accessories from a stolen vehicle?
What is the term for stealing a vehicle for the purpose of selling it to an unsuspecting buyer?
What is the term for stealing a vehicle for the purpose of selling it to an unsuspecting buyer?
What should an officer look for when inspecting a vehicle?
What should an officer look for when inspecting a vehicle?
Where are Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) commonly located on U.S.-produced vehicles?
Where are Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) commonly located on U.S.-produced vehicles?
What is the method of attachment requirement for VINs on U.S.-produced vehicles?
What is the method of attachment requirement for VINs on U.S.-produced vehicles?
What is an example of auto theft for insurance reasons, as mentioned in the text?
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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