They re not only elusive but can be very aggressive when trying to escape. One suspect eluded a helicopter by driving into the Phoenix airport parking lot. Another abandoned a running vehicle on a freeway ramp, forcing Baraban to stop it with his own car before it hit commuters. Even when suspects are caught and charged officers say they are discouraged by how quickly they are freed, only to offend again. It s like a revolving door.
Officers are also alarmed that thieves have become increasingly bold.
Yolanda Sores, manager of a thriving car alarm store in northwestern Phoenix, said one customer told her she watched a man take her car out of the garage then wave as he drove off. It s like an epidemic. It s happening so frequently we don t have enough officers and so quickly that even with twice the number of officers, it still wouldn t stop. Possibly making the problem worse is that the thieves aren t choosy. Many seem to prefer pickup trucks, but no car is safe.