The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-02-06
AUTO THIEVES
BUSIEST Time
NEAR HOLIDAYS


cars are usually stolen around the
first of January than at any other
period of the year. One reason is
that a large number of cars has been
sold during the holidays. The cars
are new models and of more value
than those in use for year or more.
The owner hardly knows it when he
sees it from a dozen other cars of the
| same make. 1t has no identifying
| marks. After he has owned it long
| enough to be in an accident or two,
it has its own distinguishing char
acteristics. 1t is winter, and when an
| owner drives up he lets his engine
run, so that all the theft has to do
is to step in and help himself. The
weather is against all possible pur-
| suers, with the result that the theft
takes time by the forelock and makes
his haul while the year is young.
Before a car is stolen it's habits, as
| they are known in the profession are
watched. The thieves know the rou-
tine of the cars life; they know
where it goes, when it goes, and for
! how long it will remain unmatched.
| If the thieves are to lift a car,
while the car is waiting in front of
mans Office, they do not simply get
in and ride away. The car is watched
until they know with some degree of
accuracy how long it will stand I'M
| occupied, and when the opportune
! time comes they avail themselves OF
the cars wait and speed away over a
route previously determined.
| fva
usually implicated in the stealing of a
car. They are the locator, the grabber,
| the garage owner, the mechanic, and
| the fence. The "locater" is the one
who picks out the car to be stolen;
the "grabber" is the one who drives
the car off; the mechanic DISCUSSES
| the car, while the fence" disposes of
the stolen property.
Of the locks designed to prevent
theft the commonest is the gasoline
lock but it has certain disadvantages.
There are a number of locks for cut
ting off the fuel supply, one being a
combination lock worked on the
principle of a post office box, to appeal
to the man who has the habit of
leaving his key in his other clothes.
| uO lOCh Is "OIheu ny IuIIIDlSIS W 1l1C4l
falling into the pipe line, cut off the
fuel. But this does not keep the
| theft away, for the theft of today
goes prepared for such an emergency.
i He not only carries small kit OF
tools with him, but in addition a
bottle. In the bottle is gasoline. He
| has observed the habits of the car;
he knows approximately when the
owner will return, and SO he does not
| even have to test the car to see If
the fuel lock is on. He knows this car
has such a lock and is prepared. With
his steel nippers he cuts the fuel line
| below the lock and with the rubber
tubing from his beer bottle feeds gas
oline into the carburetor. He is of
to a garage while the owner comes
out and puzzles his head hoV any
body could have moved his car wher
he simply never let it stand without
locking.
The only safeguard is to remove
the motor, for without this there is
no ignition and motors are not easily
duplicated in case the thief wanted
to slip in another.
Too much dependence must not be
placed on the gasoline lock without
preparatory caution on the part OF
the driver. He must remember that
there is enough gasoline in the car
buretor to carry hisc ar a block OF
even two blocks, even though the fue
line is cut off. The theft can thus
get the car out of sight and around
the corner and there doctor it at will
This objection to a fuel lock may be
overcome by shutting off the power
block before the point where the
car is to be stopped. If this is for
gotten, the driver may keep the en-
CINE running until it dies of itself.
Appliances for the steering wheel
the gears, or the brakes that make
use Of a chain or some mechanical
part are only a moments hindranct
= to theft. He has come equipped
with pliers for all that.
The commonest lock, and the one
that the average inventor turns hi!
ingenuity upon, is a mechanism fol
locking the wheel. Many of these
! are homemade. These can be nip
ped by the theft, and especially so i
: he working under cover of night, bu
there is another objection to them tina
is a bad handicap to the new owne1
who puts his faith in them. In mos
fcities they are Forbidden INV the fir'
laws. This by reason of the fac
, that if a fire should break out anC
the fire trucks came Gathering up thu
firemen would not be able to get the
chained car out of the way.
. In addition, there is another dis
couraging feature in placing one
faith in a lock. An owner locks hi
car with a patent device that human
, ingenuity cannot break and goes int
a store for a few minutes. While he il
: gone a working man in overa1ls come
down the street in wrecking car. II
his hand is a piece of paper. Backing
. up to the car, he fastens on a towlint
and is just starting off when a police
, man comes up and asks him what HI
, is doing His answer is that he il
from a garage and to show the office
E the slip of paper bearing the make o.
, the car, its number and location.
. The man in overalls supplies thu
power, and the car is off; safely gu
, of sight, an accomplish steps out un
, fastens the tewline, gets in, and joy
, ously rides away.
: Certain factors removed from lock-
are, however, working to make life
| happier for the car owner. One il
happier for the car owner. One il
of Automotive Engineers that the 10
, cation of all engine numbers be stand
ardized, the location being on tn,
crank case proper, at the front end
f as near the middle as possible, An
other suggestion is to make tn,
. license number and the engine number
the same. Another plan, originated
in, 70 st hrr oh