The Arvada enterprise., 1918-07-11
AUTO THIEVES LTD. AND
SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
BY William J. Barker, President,
Denver Motor Club.

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| Denver Motor Club.
There is no record at the Sec
rotary Of States office of the above
parent company and its subsidiaries
ever having applied for charter
nor are these companies incorporated
or their operations in any sense
| Limited" as the title would indi-
cate.
In 1917 there were TAO cars stolen
In Denver, 1873 of which were never
recovered.
From January LIST to June 4th of
the present year there have been AGA
cars stolen in this city, 70 of which
were still "out" on the last mention
ed date.
Inasmuch as the above named
thriving companies operate ut their
fullest capacities during June, July
and August, it may be readily seen
that this years record bids to far
outstrip that of 1917. Estimating
the value Of the cars stolen Mt an
average of $4,000 apiece, the thiev-
es in Denver have to date made away
with $350,000.00 worth of property,
and, with 70 cars uncovered, $780,
S72 worth of property is still in their
possession or has been sold to in
nocent purchasers. Added to these
amounts are thousands of dollars
paid out by the insurance companies
for reimbursements in the case of
total loss and for repairs and dam
ages. in most cases, where cars are
recovered.
How to stop this wholesale thiev-
cry is a question puzzling not only
to the Police Department and Courts
Of this state but to those of every
other city and state in the Union.
Some cities have already adopted
what il known as locking ordinance
that requires owners to lock their
cars when leaving them at home.
Such an ordinance the Denver Mo-
tor Club will shortly endeavor to
have passed by the City Council.
Still other communities require n
man to show q deed and abstract of
title when selling car, very similar
to that which accompanies the trans
fer Of land.
Much has been said and written
about the automobile thieving bust
ness and how to handle the thieves
when caught. In the first place,
comparatively few arrests are made,
owing to the fact that cars are
abandoned by those who steal them.
Where thiev is caught it has been
the history of such cases. in Dem
yer at least, that in Is per cent Of
the cases the thieves 60 scott free or
this are several: first, the cars that
-
orally taken by boys under Fl years
Of age,-man cases the sons Of more
or less prominent families. Their
fathers or relatives appear; offer to
make good the amount of damage
done; plead with you that Johnny
has never done anything of the kind
before; that the reform school would
make confirmed criminal Of him ;
and finally you, Mr.. Car Owner. con,
sent to withdraw the charges, especi-
ally il the car has been put in as
good or better condition than it was
before the theft, by the parents or
insurance companies Denver's Po-
lice Court record shows compare.
lively few convictions where thieve,
have been caught in this city. The
District Attorney complains that the
owners will not stand back of him
for prosecution. The Police De-
partment claims that q conviction il
almost impossible where the car il
not stolen with the intent to sell
again: and not infrequently Of late
the comment has been heard that the
only way to handle the "Joy Riders
or professional Thieves" is with tbs
old effective method used in hendlinG
horse and cattle rustlers in the day,
when Colorado was young.
The activity Of the Gear rustlers'
Is not confined to Denver-owncd BY
m means. OF late the thieves have
been especially attentive to the carr
bearing license numbers above TWEEN
ty thousand, or Estate Cars" TWEEN
ty-eight cars from Colorado cite,
other than Denver. were stolen be
tween Jan. /, 1918. and June 4
1918, and up to the latter date onl,
seven were reported as recovered.
1t behooves tout of twon cars" t.
seek 4 garage while visiting the CAPT.
tai city and their owners to take
the prccaution of removing the dis
tributor brush or installing some
lock more effective than that on the
ignition.
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