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August 23, 2005
Take My Car. Please.
San Diego Makes Auto Theft Top 10 List
San Diego ranked eighth among metropolitan areas nationwide for the number of auto thefts in 2004, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Seven of the nation's top 10 areas with the highest vehicle theft rates were in California, with Modesto topping the list, according to the report.
To compile the "Hot Spots" report, the bureau reviewed data supplied by the National Crime Information Center for 336 metropolitan areas designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget.
The theft rate was determined by the number of vehicle theft offenses per 100,000 inhabitants using 2000 census figures.
Despite the bad news, FBI data showed a 2.6 percent decrease in motor vehicle theft nationally in 2004, according to the report. The decrease followed four years of steadily rising auto theft figures.
According to the NICB, the top 10 metropolitan areas with the highest auto theft rates in 2004 were:
Modesto, CA
Stockton-Lodi, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
Sacramento, CA
Oakland, CA
Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA
San Diego, CA
Fresno, CA
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA
The NICB urged common sense measures -- including removing keys from the ignition, locking doors and parking in well-lit areas -- to minimize the risk of auto thefts.
San Diego police recently reorganized its auto theft unit, dedicating more resources toward the problem, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Posted by Mark at August 23, 2005 06:10 AM
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