New
Auto Theft Stats
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The FBI just released their semiannual Uniform
Crime Report which shows that auto thefts were down
12.1% the first six months of 2008 (for complete details
Click
Here).
Also during 2008, new-vehicle
registrations were down 12% nationwide and 21% in
California. |
Task forces and immobilizers have
been instrumental in reducing auto theft.
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June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
January
2007
May
2007
Issue May 2008
Issue July 2008
September 2008
January
2009
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January 2009
In 2008,
the United States experienced its largest trend to
date in moving from large, gas-guzzling vehicles
to compacts and sub-compacts. Toyota has surpassed GM
and is now the largest automobile manufacturer in
the world.
This shift left many
vehicle owners and dealerships stuck with vehicles
they did not want; nor could they sell. We are
still experiencing an increase in questionable
thefts and claims involving gas-guzzlers and
upside down car owners.
The effects of the
credit crunch are in full swing along with
foreclosures and unemployment on the rise. Even
with the multi-billion dollar bailout new car
shoppers have been unable to afford the down
payments and qualify for loans. New-vehicle sales
have gone from nearly 17 million to 11 million.
Vehicle repossessions reached an all time high in
2008 and are expected to grow.
The trend
toward buying used instead of new (or keeping
current vehicles) will continue through this
crises. What investigators need to be weary of are
the insureds that feel the only way out of their
financial burden is to give-up or destroy their
used vehicles in order to buy new or make a
payment disappear.
We have had great
success in reviewing files over the last few
months that resulted in false claims being
identified and stopped. Now more than ever it is
imperative that insurance companies and law
enforcement agencies do not cut back on their
investigative
staff.
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Fraud & Economic
Downturns
A couple of recent online articles have been
written regarding owner give-ups and fraud. One
appeared in the Journal Sentinel and can be
read online by clicking
here. The other was produced by NICB
and can be accessed by clicking
here. |
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Transponder
Books 
Part of the success we
have had regarding identifying fraudulent claims
has been whether or not the vehicle was equipped
with a transponder.
The 2008 AutoSmart
Books, Foreign & Domestic, were published at
the end of 2009. They cover the previous years
with over 1200 pages of the best transponder
information.
AutoSmart™ is the most
comprehensive and popular automotive locksmith
books in history. These books were designed for
locksmiths but they contain useful information we
need to conduct a thorough investigation or report
regarding vehicles with immobilizers.
Click
here for more information or Go to:
www.vintrack.com/transponders.htm
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Contact us with suggestions,
comments, or if you have specific information you
would like addressed.
Sincerely, The Foundation
for Automotive Safety and Trends
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