As a
result of a Department of Justice survey done in the mid- 1960s, the following
tabular data provided a snapshot of auto theft immediately prior to the direct
involvement of the federal government in forcing the automobile industry to
redesign various anti-theft features that included steering wheel locks, the elimination
of vent windows, external door locks, and internal door lock “buttons.” [1]
Table
II-2: Sample of Types of Vehicles
Stolen, 1966 Department of Justice Survey of 1659 returned prisoner surveys
Make
of Vehicle
|
Number
|
Percent
Stolen
|
Buick
|
255
|
7.4
|
Cadillac
|
96
|
2.5
|
Camaro
|
12
|
.3
|
Chevrolet
|
1,548
|
40.2
|
Chrysler
|
40
|
1.0
|
Comet
|
18
|
.5
|
Corvair
|
77
|
2.0
|
Corvette
|
76
|
3.0
|
Dodge
|
84
|
2.2
|
Falcon
|
28
|
.7
|
Ford
|
527
|
13.7
|
Impala
|
88
|
2.3
|
Imperial
|
8
|
.2
|
Lincoln
|
23
|
.6
|
Mercury
|
60
|
1.6
|
Mustang
|
100
|
2.6
|
Oldsmobile
|
210
|
5.4
|
Plymouth
|
124
|
3.2
|
Pontiac
|
244
|
6.3
|
Pontiac
GTO
|
34
|
.9
|
Rambler
|
60
|
1.6
|
Thunderbird
|
55
|
1.4
|
Volkswagen
|
57
|
1.5
|
Clearly, in the 1960s, thieves --
primarily joy riders -- preferred the common vehicle over luxury and European
brands. As the next table illustrates,
older cars -- for whatever reason (perhaps because owners cared less about
them), were more likely to be stolen. Hot spots for the "boost" were
most likely to be in front of one's home, or at a shopping center. Logically, theft rates increased at
night. And, corroborating industry
spokesmen and insurance investigators, the large majority of thefts took place
because the owner left the keys in the car or left the ignition switch in the
on position, a common occurrence during that era when a keyless ignition switch
"position" was a feature on all General Motors cars. No car was safe,
and no owner, no matter what class or race was immune from the activity of the
car thief. For
example, in 1964, Senator Barry Goldwater’s 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was stolen
at the Dulles airport while its owner was away on a trip back to the West
Coast. That same year, in several major cities, a publicity campaign – “Lock
Your Car – Take Your Keys” -- was undertaken with positive short-term results.
Both in Boston and in San Francisco the National Automobile Theft Bureau worked
with police officials to mount a television, radio and newspaper effort urging
car owners to lock their cars. Parking meter decals and leaflets included in
the mailing of utility bills spread a message that somewhat arrested but did
not stop the tide of increasing thefts. Yet the outcome of this endeavor was
far from overwhelming -- in Boston the campaign resulted in an increase in
thefts of only 18%, nationwide in major cities the rate was 25% during the
first quarter of 1964.[2]
Table
II-3: Sample of Years of Automobiles
Stolen, from Department of Justice 1966 Prisoner Survey
Year
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Before
1960
|
1,585
|
43.1
|
1960
|
247
|
6.4
|
1961
|
187
|
4.9
|
1962
|
302
|
7.8
|
1963
|
367
|
9.5
|
1964
|
425
|
11.0
|
1965
|
438
|
11.4
|
1966
|
325
|
8.4
|
1967
|
113
|
2.9
|
Table
II-4: Place of Theft 1966 Department of Justice Prisoner Survey
Place
of Theft
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Public
street -- business
|
586
|
15.4
|
Public
Street -- Residential
|
1,212
|
29.5
|
Attended
Parking Lot
|
144
|
3.8
|
Shopping
Center Lot
|
161
|
4.2
|
Unattended
Parking Lot
|
566
|
14.9
|
Public
Parking Lot
|
163
|
4.3
|
Home
Garage or Carport
|
177
|
4.7
|
Home
Driveway
|
332
|
8.7
|
New
or Used Car Lot
|
491
|
12.9
|
Car
Rental Agency
|
62
|
1.6
|
Table
II-5: Purpose of Theft 1966 Department of Justice Prisoner Survey
Purpose
of Theft
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Transportation
|
1,381
|
34.8
|
Joyriding
|
1,818
|
45.8
|
Sale
|
198
|
5
|
Sale
of Parts
|
125
|
3.1
|
In
connection with crime
|
107
|
2.7
|
Escape
|
228
|
5.7
|
Table
II-6: Time of Theft 1966, Department of Justice Prisoner Survey
Time of Theft
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Daylight
|
340
|
346
|
Dark
|
642
|
654
|
Table
II-7: Method of Entry 1966, Department of Justice Prisoner Survey
Method
of Entry
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Car
left unlocked
|
2923
|
75.9
|
Forced
|
322
|
8.4
|
Key
from another car
|
81
|
2.1
|
Key
legally obtained
|
176
|
4.6
|
Key
illegally obtained
|
351
|
9.1
|
Table
II-8: How a Stolen Car was Started 1966, Department of Justice Prisoner Survey
Method
of Starting
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Key
left in ignition
|
1,664
|
43.2
|
Key
left in car but not ignition
|
131
|
3.4
|
Master,
jiggler, try out key
|
182
|
4.7
|
Jump
wires under hood
|
152
|
3.9
|
Cross
wires under dash
|
245
|
6.4
|
Separate
ignition system
|
57
|
1.5
|
Ignition
on "off" position
|
666
|
17.3
|
Tin
foil
|
68
|
1.8
|
Screwdriver
or other tool
|
93
|
2.4
|
Key
legally obtained
|
207
|
5.4
|
Key
Illegally obtained
|
391
|
10.1
|
[1]
"US Department of Transportation Survey" In US Congress, House of
Representatives, 90th Congress, 2nd Session. Hearings Before Subcommittee No. 5
of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, H.R. 15215 and
Related Bills, March 6, 14, 1968 (Washington: GPO, 1968), p.35.
[2] National Automobile Theft Bureau, “Police in Two Major Cities
Declare an All-Out War on Auto Thieves,” Action Report, 1 (September-October,
1964), 1,4.
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