Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-20
POLICE BLAMED
IN AUTO THEFTS
Insurance Rates Here Highest
IL U. S. Because of Poor Pro-
lection, Says Shepherd
CAPT. MILLS MAKES DENIAL

Automobile theft insurance rates in
Philadelphia are among the highest in
the country because of alleged in
adequate police protection here.
The only other cities where the rates
are equal to those here are Detroit,
Chicago, st. Louis and Kansas City.
The rates for New York are lower than
those of Philadelphia.
The rates for automobile insurance
I<companies all over the country are fixed
by a conference bureau which meets at
New York at regular intervals to de-
termine what rates shall be allowed in
the different localities The great ma
jority of insurance companies in auto
mobile lines are under the regulation
of this board. and those which are not
are known as ''cut rate companies"
Rap at Police
''Tbe reason that the members Of the
conference bureau have placed Phil.
sdelphfa at the top Of the list is be-
cause they deem the police protection
n this city Inadequate, said Coulson
Shepherd, superintendent of the auto
mobile department OF the Aetna Life
Insurance Company today.
'sThese rate figures arc made after
complete study of local conditions and
review of conditions revealed by
statistics showing the percentage Of
cars owned and stolen. The protection
offered By the police of the city under
consideration is naturally one of the
most important items.
"Another thing which helps to en-
courage the theft Of automobiles in this
city is the leniency with which men,
convicted of automobile theft, are treat
ed when brought into court, he con-
tinued. "Thev are given such light
sentences. or such trivial fines, that it
is really no object lesson at all to those
thieves who are not caught
"a man told me the other day that
he could spend $500 and have any auto
mobile thief released At that rate it
would be a paying business.
Poor Protection Cited
Mr.. Shepherd said that the last in
crease in theft rates for Philadelphia
was issued by the Conference Bureau
In February. According to these fig
ures, the present rate is $53.75 per year
on a car valued at 5000 or less. This
rate includes a penalty Of SIS, which
Mr.. Shepherd says is because of poor
protection here, and which is removed
If the owner of the car equips his ma
chine with a safety device recognized by
the company. The original rate for
this city on similar car was fixed at
S13.75, marking an advance of $40.
An attack against the attitude of the
insurance people was made by Captain
Mills TODAY when told why the rates
were named so high for this city. He
said:
Z .sThe police protection here is per-
fect,y adequate, and the insurance men
have no grounds for an increase on that
score. There are politics in insurance
ranks, and the fact that the bureau
which controls the rate meets in New
York is enough to show reason for an
attempt to discredit and discriminate
against Philadelphia.
Statistics furnished by the Pennsyl-
vania Indemnity Exchange, which
handles the automobile insurance fol-
the Automobile Club of Philadelphia
show that the average loss of automo-
bile insurance companies from theft;
here is S2j 900 month each.
Only a small percentage of stolen cars
are ever recovered. it was said. Ma
chimes stolen in Philadelphia by pro
fessional thieves are usually taken to
other cities for final disposal.
Thefts of automobile tires from tn,
racks on the rear of cars are more fire.
ouent than thefts of the cars them
selves because the tires are easier II
GET AWAY with. Several such theft,
were renorted Yesterday Two fire
were taken from the machine of Mrs.
Nav Hughes of Tonsdovnc ,,.b;Io :
was left STANDING at Rroad and Snrro
,treets
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No Remedy in Sight
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