Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-04

Tho creation OF an automobile division
=, tho Bureau NJ Police and Of an adjunct
,o,unteer piain-cothcs squad 500 strong
.,d advocacy OF legislation prescribing
drastic punishment for garage proprietors
- ,,u 4, repcrt cars stored daily in their
Establishments were decided upon today at
a conference called by Director Wilson, OF
tho Department Of Public Safety. to de-
,.rulne the best means OF reducing thefts
OF motorcars in the city.
rha stolen automobile will he put upon
the same basis as the stolen gem. said Di-
rector Wilson. in announcing TO repre-
sentatives Of automobile associations that
+, notice order would he issued requiring
garage men to report daily descriptions OF
rno,orcars stored with them to the new
automobile division. which will operate like
Tho pawnbrokers division Of the bureau.
This new division. with fifty men at its dis
posal. will he in telephonc communication
with every garage and with every ferry and
other outlet leading from the city, he said,
no that descriptions Of motorcars may be
dashed broadcast the moment they are re-
ported stolen.
URGES PENALTIES
Legislation in the Assembly and Coun-
clIs providing penalties OF Imprisonment
and hnes for failure of garage men to obey
the police rule. will be urged by the Di
rector
Cooperation OF the owners was assured
when n committee. upon Director Wilson's
suggestion. agreed TO submit a list Of 900
men to he sworn in as volunteer special
policemen. whose duty II will be to appre-
bend persons seen taking cars. The owners
also agreed to press prosecution OF 10Y
riders" although. they declared, the leni-
ency OF the courts had discouraged them.
Those who joined in the discussion were
Or. Leon s, Cans. OF the Physicians Motor
Club; Paul b. Huyette and C. b. Bartlett
Of the Quaker City Motor Club; Joseph
Way. OF the Lu Lu Temple Automobile
Club; Stedman Bent and Boyer Davis. of
the Automobile Club of Philadelphia; Rob-
ert Hooper, OF the Pennsylvania Motor
Federation; Joseph II. Weeks, president of
the Automobile Club OF Delaware County ;
G. b. steeb OF the Insurance Company Of
North America: Harry c. Davis, Assistant
Director OF Public Safety Captain James
Tate. OF the Detective Bureau; Captain
William b. Mills. of the traffic division [;
Captain David McCoach, acting Superin-
iendent OF Police, and Lieutenant George
Fritz, of the motorcycle squad.
MAY REVOKE LICENSES
Revocation of licenses as penalty for
speeding was urged and found general ap-
pfoval.
We all nsAnEo that II is impossible for
me police to watch every car. especially in
the outskirts OF the city. where the police
are scarce and the greatest number OF
thefts occur" said Director Wilson.
We must have the cooperation OF the
owners and associations. In that way only
can auto theving be broken up, Many of
the thefts are due TO the carlessness Of
owners and to joyriders.I II we have con-
eerted action to prevail upon the courts to
make examples OF the guilty persons in
stead of releasing them on probation after
the first offenss, we shall get results"
Captain Tate advocated a law requiring
every motorist. owner or chauffeur TO have
his photograph on his license tag.
The existence OF so much joy-ridlng' is
due TO carelessness of owners" he said
The twenty automobiles stolen on the high
ways yesterday-which, by the way, have
neen recovered-were not locked There are
plenty OF safety devices on the market
which preclude any one running away with
car Again. the owner Is inclined TO be
nnlsnt when the car is returned. In this
way young fellow who begins by stealing
automobiles for pleasure learns how easy
y Is and starts stealing for mercenary rea-
soma"