July 29, 2005

Police unveil new Web site in response to
rise in car thefts, pedestrian fatalities

Almaden Valley averages 2-3 car thefts a week

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

In response to a recent rise in car thefts and pedestrian fatalities, the Vehicular Crimes Unit of the San Jose Police Department has created a new Web site to educate the public and hopefully lessen these occurrences.

On the Web site, www.sjpd.org, this page is linked under Community Information, Vehicular Crimes Unit.

“In the last six to eight months, we’ve had a horrendous rash of auto break-ins and auto thefts,” says Vehicular Crimes Unit Commander Lieutenant John B. Carr. “In the city of San Jose, we average about 100 car thefts a week, with two to three per week in Almaden Valley.”

The rise in the number of auto-related fatalities in San Jose has also been a concern for the department. “At this point last year, we had 16 fatalities, while this year we have 25,” says Traffic Investigations Detail Sgt. Lorrie Mariner Rogers.

The Web site, www.sjpd.org, (linked under Community Information, Vehicular Crimes Unit) was developed as an informational community resource, as well as a means for the public to contact the Vehicular Crimes Unit (VCU) directly, and provides information on reporting a stolen vehicle, rules for repossession, car safety tips and more.

In creating this Web site, the VCU, comprising the investigative Auto Theft Unit and the Traffic Investigations Unit, fulfills aspects of the San Jose Police Department’s mission to promote public safety, prevent crimes, create strong community partnerships and adapt a multi-disciplinary approach to solving community problems.

Don’t leave valuables visible in your car
“People have to take precautions,” says Carr, an Almaden resident. “Leaving personal information like credit cards and valet keys in the car can be such a small oversight, but can lead to identity theft and burglary—and the hassle of having to find a locksmith to change your locks, cancel and reissue credit cards and checks takes quite a bit of time—and if time is money, you’re still paying.”

Through “Thefti Street,” a bulldog icon designed by Carr, the Web site provides guidelines for avoiding becoming a victim of auto theft. For instance, Thefti advises parking in well-lit areas, always locking your car, never leaving valuables visible or your car keys in your car, using a deterrent like a steering wheel locking device and investing in motion-detector lighting for your porch and garage area.

“Don’t present an attractive target with expensive items like cell phones and CD players visible,” adds Auto Theft Unit Sgt. Jon Johnson.

Almaden resident Kate Bartenhagen learned this the hard way. Due to the allure of her after-factory CD player and CD collection, her Honda Accord was broken into twice in seven months. Both times, her car doors had been locked and both times the CD player was ripped out of the dash and all of her CDs were stolen. “I was especially sad the second time, because the thieves took my new CD holder, which contained birthday notes from my children,” she said, “along with CDs replacing the ones that were taken.”

The police are just a phone call away. Call 9-1-1 if you see a suspicious vehicle cruising up and down the street.

To make matters worse, her neighbor’s Mercedes was stolen and found stripped a few blocks away.

“It’s frustrating,” says Bartenhagen, “because now we have to make sure we never leave our garage door open, think twice about what we’re leaving in our car and make sure we lock it. It’s a bummer to have to be more vigilant and not feel like you can just trust people.”

Due to the fact that following the second break-in, her car doors and trunk were left open and a set of golf clubs weren’t taken, Bartenhagen suspects that the car thieves may be bored teenagers. “I wish they’d find something more productive to do,” she says. “Maybe the police could focus on more programs that would keep kids out of trouble.”

After the thefts, Bartenhagen reinstalled her factory CD player in the damaged dash, but it doesn’t stay in place well. She is considering going without a CD player all together, or having an alarm system installed in the car.
“Security systems are definitely helpful,” says Carr. “Stealth and speed are a car thief’s two greatest allies. The quicker they get in and out, the harder it is to detect them.”

“If you don’t take care of the problem, they may return,” adds Johnson.

Don’t leave your car warming up in driveway
According to Johnson, the easiest and most preventable auto theft is a car left warming up in the driveway. “Even if you leave the car running and lock the door with another key,” notes Johnson, “all they have to do is break the window.”

Warm-ups, which police refer to as ‘The Giveaway Program,’ account for 10 to 12 percent of recent car thefts.

“There are crews of kids who travel in one car until they spot a warm-up,” says Johnson. “Then, one jumps out, gets in the car warming up and they leave. If you have your registration and keys in there, and they know exactly what house they took them from, they’re going to come back while you’re at work and burglarize your house as well.”

Although the most popular vehicles to steal are Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords (especially from the mid 80s to mid 90s, due to plastic tumblers in the ignition system), any car is a good candidate for a warm-up theft and no neighborhood is immune. “They’ll strike wherever the opportunity presents itself,” said Johnson. “If you see a suspicious vehicle driving up and down the street, call 9-1-1. If there is a burglar or car thief in the area, you want a police response immediately.”

According to Johnson, the Auto Theft Unit rates a 90 percent recovery rate of stolen vehicles. However, that’s over an unspecified period of time, and depending upon the condition of the recovered vehicle, a person might not even want it back.

A crosswalk won’t save you from a distracted driver
Lessening the alarming number of auto-related fatalities in San Jose through education is another goal of the Vehicular Crimes Unit in creating the new Web site.

“This year, as compared to last, we have considerably more vehicle-related fatalities in San Jose,” says Rogers.

“We also receive 50 to 60 hit-and-run reports weekly.”

When a person is killed, an officer from Traffic Investigations reports to the scene, noting every detail of the accident. However, says Carr, although the officer may be detached emotionally at the time, in speaking with friends and family of the victim later, it is hard to remain unemotional.

Look for “Thefti Street” for tips on car safety.

“In quiet moments when you reflect, and when you develop a relationship with the caller, it plays on your humanity,” says Carr. “You saw the accident, and the person who was killed, and it stays with you—but you have that training and discipline to fall back on. If we didn’t care about people, we wouldn’t be doing this job in the first place, but at the same time, you can’t care too much where you’ll no longer be effective.”

“As a driver, or a pedestrian, you need to be aware and not be impaired by drugs or alcohol,” says Rogers. “Don’t drive faster than you can handle a car, and as a pedestrian, be aware of your limitations. Even in a crosswalk, you’re still vulnerable–if a driver’s phone rings or they’re looking for a CD, you’re toast.”

“People think that because they’re in a crosswalk they’re right,” adds Carr, “and they are–but they can be dead right. Assume nothing and check everything.”

Regarding auto safety, Carr suggests that people take the cautious approach. “We want fewer accidents and fewer stolen cars,” he says. “A lot has to do with awareness. We have conditioned ourselves to make the car journey so pleasant (with surround sound, GPS, climate control, cell phones and DVD players) that we’re distracted—and that’s when accidents occur.”

“We want to reach out to the community as a resource,” says Carr. “Come to our Web site. Come talk to us. We’ll tell you what we do, and how we do it, as well as things you can do to prevent auto theft, or worse, from happening to you.”

Visit the San Jose Police Department Vehicular Crimes Unit’s new Web site at www.sjpd.org under Community Information and Vehicular Crimes Unit.