IMPACT investigators arrest a repeat offender car thief. This video shows IMPACT and Surrey RCMP Auto Theft Section investigators arresting two car thieves in a stolen car and inside a bank. The two were spotted by Surrey Crimewatch volunteers as they drove a stolen Honda Civic through the Newton area of Surrey. When plainclothes investigators took over the surveillance, the stolen car was followed until it stopped in a shopping centre. The driver got out and walked inside a bank while the passenger remained in the car. Both suspects were arrested at the same time.
The suspect inside the bank fought back aggressively with officers in front of a dozen wide-eyed bank customers. By the time the camera arrived to film this arrest, the prolonged struggle had ended seconds earlier which explains why the officers appear winded. This suspect was found to be carrying a replica pistol in his waistband at the time of his arrest. It is not known what his intentions were inside the bank.
One of the two suspects was an escaped inmate from a provincial institution. Both are in their teens and are repeat offenders. Due to enforcement action like the arrests shown in this video, auto theft in British Columbia dropped significantly for the fifth year in a row. In 2008, auto theft was driven down by 16% across the province and 19% in the Lower Mainland.
These reductions can be attributed to four major initiatives that all work together to reduce auto theft. At IMPACT, we call them the four pillars of auto theft reduction:
Education: The public needs to be informed about the seriousness and danger of auto theft. They also need to know how to protect their vehicles from theft. Further initiatives are underway such as the Stolen Lives video which will be released in the fall of 2007 and shown to high school students in an effort to fully inform them about the dangers of auto theft. (http://www.oddsquad.com/)
Prevention: Advertising for the bait car program works to prevent car thefts before they happen. In addition, community volunteers and other groups work hard to patrol high auto theft areas and act as additional eyes and ears for the police. The Combat Auto Theft program, Citizens Crime Watch, ICBC initiatives and other programs all work together to prevent car thefts.
Enforcement: Plainclothes police officers in dedicated auto theft sections target and arrest high risk offenders every day. The video attached to this blog entry shows IMPACT and Surrey RCMP Auto Theft investigators following a stolen Honda Civic and arresting the two occupants. This scenario is typical of an auto theft arrest. In addition, the Bait Car program results in even more arrests.
Treatment: Since most repeat offender car thieves are addicted to hard drugs, the only long-term solution for them is treatment. In most cases, this can only be achieved during longer jail sentences. On average, repeat offender car thieves are receiving six months in jail for auto theft convictions.
These four pillars of auto theft prevention all work together to reduce auto theft. After a decade of rising auto theft rates that peaked in 2003, auto theft has dropped for the fifth year in a row.
