The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-06-15
BOLD Car Thieves
Tricks of the Clever Crooks That
Steal Automobiles.
DARING IN THEIR METHODS.

One CT tHST ret SCHenSs Is 10 LIS
su,se Themselves as Repairers and
Openly Tow the Car Away-Ordi.
nary Safeguards Are Joke to Them.
The 4 AN who steals an automobile is
ore OF the cleverest mechanicians in
the country. He knows every make Of
car from the steering wheel to the tires.
and there is scarcely any precautiOn
taken by the owner Of the ear to safe
guard his property that the automobile
thief cannot beat.
Some car owners i0ndIy imagine that
when they chain the wheel Of their car
with n fairly thick steel chain they
have made it impossible for any crook
TO move the auto from its anchorage
The simplicity Of this safeguard must
cause hlarity among the motorcar
crooks, for the ordinary steel chain can
be cut in second with the appliances
that the motor thieves carry in their
outfit
But most car owners consider they
have made the car immoyable by mere
ly locking the switch box II viii inter
est them to know that the car thieves
can beat this precaution very easily.
Tie clever mcchdnician who makes q
business Of stealing cars can cross
wires 50 as to cause ignition and move
the engine without bOtheriug with the
switch box at all. 4 method that is Kin
dergarten to the ear thief is 10 connect
wires from the dry cell battery direct
TO the ignition coil, thus starting the
motor without difficulty.
Some ears have devices by which the
gasoline supply can bc locked. and this
is regarded 10y some owners as placing
hopeless barrier in tie way Of the
thief who would run off with the
standing ear. For how can car be
moved Whom the supply of gasoline is
shut OF! Nothing easier The motor
car t'ef carries with him his own sup
ply Of gasoline in IA flask With this
gasoline the automobile thief can nego-
tiate a good run with the car by con
Meeting his tiask of gasoline direct 10
the carburctOr. Feeding the gasoline
to the "arhuret0r through u rubber
hose. the automobile thief can send the
car sufficiently far 10 cuable him 10 pun
the gasoline tank aud the car in regu-
Lar commission ANA speed where hc
will to safety and sale
But the comuIuuCst aud therefore the
safest trick of the automobile thief re
qutres no expert mechanical knoWl-
edge II simply requires nerve. which
fhHGH Ia Il.
gree. This trick is the old one of dri,.
ing np in an auto that looks like n IA
rage repair wagon, htchiug IA rope to
the ear that Is to be stolen and towing
II away. The thieves dress for the part
I'm oil soaked ovcrallS. When they have
selected the ear Ia Ice stolen. picking
one that is in side street and not like
ly TO be under the eye of policeman
who may have been tipped 20 watch
the car. the thieves come up to the
scene in their old ear. looking like the
ordinary crew sent for from the garage
to repair ear that l. in trouble or isn't
working as we'll as its faStiIiouS owner
would wish
They alight from their own car and
the car that they intend to spirit away.
They remove the hood and scrutinize
the motor. They get out Kit Of tools
nnd tinker fot awhile with some part
or the machinery. II any one should
happen to Ice watching thcaa or looking
on from ueighhoriug window all the
Dlen do has the appearance of natural
work hv honest Workmcn from the
repair shop. Presently the men held
consultation, pointing TO some part
OF thu f1otor machinery, and apparent
ly come to the conclusion that the car
cannot he started with the tools at
their command Then they hitch n
rore to the car and tow il away at the
end Of their own car. Could anything
hc more simple?
How can you heat such game as
this Carrying away part Of the ma
chiuery does not prevent the thieves
from towing the car away. one sure
way Ia prevent robbery is 10 have the
car watched The policeman ON that
patrol will keep nm eye ON il Il YOU
are only going 10 make y visit 10 sonc
Office building aud coming back in u
short time But If you keep your car
In the street the entire day no one can
watch it You are simply taking q
chauce with thc car thieves
There are either ways of making the
path 81 the motorcar crook rs steep
aud dilhcut rs possible ono motor
iSt believes he has solved the thief