Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-13

before Supt. Michael II. Crowley's no
nee OFFICERS at Boston, Mass, In which
he said In part:
1T Is startling TO learn that OF IN,
large number OF cars stolen every yeal
only 90 or 10 per cent are recovered
rms proves police departments are no,
keeping pace with those who hay,
commercialized the stealing Of moto,
cars.
ITO illustrate: The method used u,
one set OF auto thieves where automo.
bile stealing has been going on exten.
siyely. outside the city limits a hons,
burned down. The barn left standing
was abandoned by the owner. II stood
IN spot not conspicuous to passersbv
me auto thieves gained possession OF
thls barn, entirely refitted the inside
so that motor car could be com
pletely changed as far as any ordi.
nary Identification marks were con-
cerned. The outward appearance was
lert unchanged TO avoid suspicion OF
possible inspection
The men employed here were ex-
perts In their line. When a stolen car
was brought in the Identification num-
bers were either chiseled off with
hammer and chisel or melted off by
the acetylene process. New numbers
or the same size were put on in their
places. Lamps were changed, top,
windshield, speedometer and all extra
equipment, such as bumpers, extra
tires. shock absorbers, etc, were re
moved; the paint was taken off and
the car painted different color. Then
the car was taken to the city and sold,
with little chance OF its being identi-
fled by the owner.
I'm another large city there was n
similar means of changing the identity
of stolen cars. The cars were com
pletely dissembled and the parts sold
separately. This means of procedure
was little more complicated, but far
more remunerative, and paid hand
somely for the extra trouble.
Most Brazcn Method.
The most brazen method OF all is
that used by the automobile stealing
syndicate. This combination sends
agents around to dealers in second
hand cars to keep in touch with the
kinds of cars wanted by the customers.
A dealer has just had call for a par
ticular car and would like to get It
for his customer. The agent tells him
he has just what he wants and will
bring It around. He then goes to the
head of the syndicate and reports the
order for the above mentioned car.
The chief issues orders at once to go
and get that car. SO couple of men,
or perhaps three men and women, get
into a car owned by the syndicate and
bearing n private license, and drive
around until they locate a model car
hey are after They follow it until its
owner drives up to a curb and disap-
pears inside Of a building Then one
IF their number gets out, steps into
he car and drives away. The rest
lrive their machine into the vacated
space and then go into a store nearby
md walt for the owner of the stolen
ar to appear. When he comes they
,ome out and get into their machine
Naturally no asks them II they had
een his car standing there when they
irove up. OF course they had not
Their game is to keep him In conver-
alton as long as possible, to give the
hief plenty of time to get away before
he police are notified. They suggest
o the man that, inasVuch as that
pace was vacant when they drove up,
'erhaps someone had stolen his car