just great.
just when I thought the city was out of the damn lime-light. woopee..we are number one. let's just have the whole world know that there are still ass-backwards folk living here. they story in the newspaper had one jerk state..that the twon was still thinking farm-like. you leave your keys in car so ya don;t lose them. ya..right buddy..leave them in car so some kid can drive off with it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Modesto area has retained a most unwanted title: car theft capital of the United States.
Stanislaus County was home to the highest per capita auto theft rate in the country in 2004, according to statistics released Monday by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The county had the same distinction in 2003.
Four other Central Valley metropolitan areas made the national top 10 "Auto Theft Hot Spots" list. The Stockton-Lodi area was second, Sacramento fifth, Visalia-Tulare-Porterville seventh and Fresno ninth.
Nationwide, vehicle theft declined by 2.6 percent, officials said. But the numbers continued to rise in California.
Deputy Chief Adam Cuevas of the California Highway Patrol said vehicle thefts increased by 5 percent in 2004 and 10 percent in 2003.
"It certainly concerns us," he said. "We've done everything in our power with the limited resources we have. … But there are 28 million registered vehicles in California. There's a problem out there, and the problem continues."
In Stanislaus County, 7,024 vehicles were stolen in 2004, compared with 6,020 in 2003 and 4,548 in 2002, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Here's another way to look at it - and this is where the No. 1 per capita ranking comes from: One out of every 71 people in the county had a vehicle stolen last year.
Officials blamed California's theft rate on a number of factors, including good weather - which means that cars remain in better condition for longer periods of time.
Frank Scafidi, director of public affairs for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, said methamphetamine abuse also fuels vehicle theft in the Central Valley.
More than 85 percent of vehicle thefts in California are perpetrated by "opportunists," he said, a group that includes drug addicts who support their habits by stealing cars.
"They'll steal the radio, tires, rims," he said. "Small parts, to support the incredible meth problem in this state."
Stolen vehicles are recovered at a 60 percent to 65 percent clip nationwide, he said. In the valley, the recovery rate is more than 90 percent.
"That indicates that a lot of these cars are stolen by opportunists seeking the contents or smaller items inside," Scafidi said.
Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden said drug abusers who commit auto theft - and get caught - can take advantage of Proposition 36, which offers drug treatment instead of jail time.
Another factor in auto theft is that many people fail to take common-sense steps to protect their vehicles. One blunder is leaving keys in unlocked cars, or leaving cars running unattended.
"There should be some responsibility borne upon the individual," Cuevas said. "I'd hate to be a person who had his car stolen and know that I left my keys in the car, and then know that some crime - a robbery or murder - happened in my car."
Keys left in cars
Modesto police do not keep statistics on car thefts in which people leave their keys in cars. But, officials said, it is a major problem.
"If people would stop leaving their keys in their cars, we would not be No. 1," said officer Rick Applegate, Police Department spokesman. "We'd drop off the radar. But, still, every day vehicles are being stolen (because the owners) left the car running or unattended."
Stanislaus County's agricultural roots are partly to blame for that phenomenon, Police Chief Wasden said.
"I grew up on farm. The rule was, you never take the keys out of the vehicle because they get lost. It's inherent in our agricultural roots not to worry about crime, not to lock things up."
Officials also blamed lax punishment, saying sentences for car thieves - particularly multiple offenders - should be more severe.
In Stanislaus County, first-time car thieves generally face 180 days in jail, while second-time offenders may get a year, Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley said. Third-time offenders could be sent to state prison.
That is not long enough, officials said Monday.
"Until people wake up and give these knuckleheads the time they deserve, we're in for a long ride before we turn the tide," Scafidi said.
Higher bail urged
One way to keep offenders off the streets is to increase bail, Shipley said.
Bail for car theft is $10,000, she said, and some bail bond agencies have been known to cover all but a few hundred dollars of that amount, she said.
"In some cases, people are out on bail for $300, waiting for charges to be adjudicated, and committing more crimes," she said. "We think we need to increase initial bail amounts."
She added that judges are handing out stiffer sentences than in the past.
"I think the (recent) publicity that our county has received for car theft has perhaps caught the notice of the courts," she said. "They're getting a little tougher."
Law enforcement officials promised to get tougher as well.
In Stanislaus County, the CHP's Cuevas said, authorities are now using "bait cars" - vehicles that automatically trap would-be thieves inside when they enter the cars to steal them.
"We will continue to use and take advantage of different modern technologies to fight auto theft," Cuevas said.
"Modesto is one of our hot spots," he added. "We're going to focus a lot of our efforts there. We're going to try to arrest as many vehicle thieves there as we can."
WHERE CARS AREN'T SAFE
2004's top 10 areas with the highest vehicle-theft rates:
1. Modesto, Calif.
2. Stockton-Lodi, Calif.
3. Las Vegas
4. Phoenix-Mesa
5. Sacramento, Calif.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Modesto area has retained a most unwanted title: car theft capital of the United States.
Stanislaus County was home to the highest per capita auto theft rate in the country in 2004, according to statistics released Monday by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The county had the same distinction in 2003.
Four other Central Valley metropolitan areas made the national top 10 "Auto Theft Hot Spots" list. The Stockton-Lodi area was second, Sacramento fifth, Visalia-Tulare-Porterville seventh and Fresno ninth.
Nationwide, vehicle theft declined by 2.6 percent, officials said. But the numbers continued to rise in California.
Deputy Chief Adam Cuevas of the California Highway Patrol said vehicle thefts increased by 5 percent in 2004 and 10 percent in 2003.
"It certainly concerns us," he said. "We've done everything in our power with the limited resources we have. … But there are 28 million registered vehicles in California. There's a problem out there, and the problem continues."
In Stanislaus County, 7,024 vehicles were stolen in 2004, compared with 6,020 in 2003 and 4,548 in 2002, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Here's another way to look at it - and this is where the No. 1 per capita ranking comes from: One out of every 71 people in the county had a vehicle stolen last year.
Officials blamed California's theft rate on a number of factors, including good weather - which means that cars remain in better condition for longer periods of time.
Frank Scafidi, director of public affairs for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, said methamphetamine abuse also fuels vehicle theft in the Central Valley.
More than 85 percent of vehicle thefts in California are perpetrated by "opportunists," he said, a group that includes drug addicts who support their habits by stealing cars.
"They'll steal the radio, tires, rims," he said. "Small parts, to support the incredible meth problem in this state."
Stolen vehicles are recovered at a 60 percent to 65 percent clip nationwide, he said. In the valley, the recovery rate is more than 90 percent.
"That indicates that a lot of these cars are stolen by opportunists seeking the contents or smaller items inside," Scafidi said.
Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden said drug abusers who commit auto theft - and get caught - can take advantage of Proposition 36, which offers drug treatment instead of jail time.
Another factor in auto theft is that many people fail to take common-sense steps to protect their vehicles. One blunder is leaving keys in unlocked cars, or leaving cars running unattended.
"There should be some responsibility borne upon the individual," Cuevas said. "I'd hate to be a person who had his car stolen and know that I left my keys in the car, and then know that some crime - a robbery or murder - happened in my car."
Keys left in cars
Modesto police do not keep statistics on car thefts in which people leave their keys in cars. But, officials said, it is a major problem.
"If people would stop leaving their keys in their cars, we would not be No. 1," said officer Rick Applegate, Police Department spokesman. "We'd drop off the radar. But, still, every day vehicles are being stolen (because the owners) left the car running or unattended."
Stanislaus County's agricultural roots are partly to blame for that phenomenon, Police Chief Wasden said.
"I grew up on farm. The rule was, you never take the keys out of the vehicle because they get lost. It's inherent in our agricultural roots not to worry about crime, not to lock things up."
Officials also blamed lax punishment, saying sentences for car thieves - particularly multiple offenders - should be more severe.
In Stanislaus County, first-time car thieves generally face 180 days in jail, while second-time offenders may get a year, Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley said. Third-time offenders could be sent to state prison.
That is not long enough, officials said Monday.
"Until people wake up and give these knuckleheads the time they deserve, we're in for a long ride before we turn the tide," Scafidi said.
Higher bail urged
One way to keep offenders off the streets is to increase bail, Shipley said.
Bail for car theft is $10,000, she said, and some bail bond agencies have been known to cover all but a few hundred dollars of that amount, she said.
"In some cases, people are out on bail for $300, waiting for charges to be adjudicated, and committing more crimes," she said. "We think we need to increase initial bail amounts."
She added that judges are handing out stiffer sentences than in the past.
"I think the (recent) publicity that our county has received for car theft has perhaps caught the notice of the courts," she said. "They're getting a little tougher."
Law enforcement officials promised to get tougher as well.
In Stanislaus County, the CHP's Cuevas said, authorities are now using "bait cars" - vehicles that automatically trap would-be thieves inside when they enter the cars to steal them.
"We will continue to use and take advantage of different modern technologies to fight auto theft," Cuevas said.
"Modesto is one of our hot spots," he added. "We're going to focus a lot of our efforts there. We're going to try to arrest as many vehicle thieves there as we can."
WHERE CARS AREN'T SAFE
2004's top 10 areas with the highest vehicle-theft rates:
1. Modesto, Calif.
2. Stockton-Lodi, Calif.
3. Las Vegas
4. Phoenix-Mesa
5. Sacramento, Calif.