Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-07

not a police organization IN the couu-
try, according 20 officers. that has
not u flee gi1tted with notices Of
stolen automO1lles. while In the cities
u any size the stealing Of d motor
= common occurrence.
Making Desperate Fight.
Police are making a desperate fight
azainzt the auto thief. the chief thinks
and deserve much credit for their work
along this line hut the thieves are
constantly getting bstter Organized
and 5Older and other help will have %
come % the assistance u the Law en-
foTcerA
In fact some detectives who have
followed the trail q the auto thief
claim that he has the best Of the law
az every stage Of The deal one OF
their arguments is that an auto theft
can be committed IN broad daylight
on the main street % the city before
the very eyes % a policeman or a de-
tective. while the latter remain In ab-
solute ignorance that larceny Is taking
place. unless he be positively acqua,nt-
cd With the owner of the machine
and even then there Is a possibility
OF doubt
After the loss - the machine has
been reported 20 the police and all the
off GERS of the organization notified
unless there Is unusual features about
II many an owner would have difficulty
In knowing his own car II driven by
him AZ a good rate Of speed much less
the policeman. And II Il ls not soon
discovered and run down by motor
cycle officers or deserted. a few minor
alterations such a. changing the num-
bers, repainting or putting on new
I body make u possible 20 begin Oper-
ating 10 ln the very town IN which Il
was stolen. they claim
Have Many Systems
Many and varied have been the sys-
TENS devised TO fool the thief. includ-
/ ing locks and alarms Of all descrip-
lions. Some no doubt have accom-
/ piished part Of their purpose but many
Instances can be found where the car
that was locked and chained In such
manner as apparently TO make 1t i'm
mune from danger have been stolen
while other cars parked close by with
no lmpciiments OF any kind have been
passed up by the thief
Until better protection for tho auto
mobile owner IL secured the chief
thinks that an ounce OF prevention
will avail much IN cutting down the
stolen car record. one OF the firs,
acts along this line Is 20 provide them
selves with a garage where the car
can be put at night off the public
highway.
IL is surprising 70 ind how many
owners have no garage or permanent
place 70 store their cars, are persistent
( In leaving them standing on the streets
In front OF their homes. Such a prac-
tice IL n constant danger since u is
generally In a locality where there f.
little policing thief has sufficient
time 20 drive ~ 20 distant place or
hide 70 away before it Is discovered
that ~ has been stolen Many cars
have been stolen IN Tl'sn from own
ers who persisted In leaving their cars
In this fashion az night
Steal Accessories.
In many inEances while they have
not stolen the car. thieves have stolen
many Of the accessories off Il including
tires tools. lamps and even all tho
wheels. II they were put In a place
anywhere OFF the streets they would
probably never be noticed and even
the temptation 10 the thief be lessened.
Hardly any other city in the coun-
try the size OF Tulsa can show po-
lice department wherA as many stolen
automobiles have been recovered as
here. one reason for this is the large
squad OF motorcycle men employed by
the department There also have been
many cars stolen here and that Is ac-
counted for by the chief to the num-
Der of automobiles owned per capita
which is considerably larger than In
numerous other cities.