The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-07-24

= worthy Of signal interest y, n.
readily seen from Z study = !.
methods and the frequent 49,.
Thefts have mounted 20 ~ 4
sarance companies RAISED ~.
rates sever4l times on thfs a.
auto liability. The number s.
stolen BY Joy riders and 49,
sional thieves In this cousfss
now estimated at over -
year, and the number n M |.
creasing. Recoveries run a. r.
40 per cent In some places. M s
per cent as q reasonable sys..a
for the country.
Stealing automobiles Is the -
popular outdoor sport Of croohs ~
outdistancing pocketbook snatta,..
And owners of cars, as in the' nj
still leave their cars about unr..
rtected, apparently with the 49,
making life simple for Joy ~
who like to borrow cars. and a.
the professional who prefers an =
locked car to q locked one. q.
though he may be able to get ~
with the latter.
How the Professional Worka
Usually the auto Jack has no.A
ing to do but walk up to 4 ~
some-looking car and give it 4 ~,
glance to see if the owner has a.
to foil him. Then, if the car see.
to be unencumbered by lock-. IS
slips into the drivers seat and n
a second he is out Of sight.
II the car is locked it is NJ,
trouble to steal, and many . III
will pass it by in favor Of an n.
protected machine. But oths
burglars are more painstakins, n
a car is worth stealing, it is vorti
stealing right, they seem to thin
and these persevering ones WIN
know the mechanism Of almost n,
car, and who are friends with ever
protection device on the mait3
will proceed to illustrate Just how
the right turn of a wrench or NJ
nipulation Of wires will fix q pro.
tected car so that it will run whils
the owner still has the keys sals
in his pocket.
II the owner has warily removel
a small piece Of the mechanism b
prevent the car from running. TIN
thief resorts to his service q,
which a pal is running, and which
Is parked nearby. This car IL jus,
like a garage service car. even 4
having a firm name painted on {
So when a nicely dressed gentle
man who seems to be having trou.
Bile in starting his engine summons
the service car for assistance 10
notice is taken. If the well equip.
! ped service car cannot supply The
missing part it takes the disabled
machine in tow and hauls It III
umphantly off.
work in Broad Daylight
Even the supposedly fool proc
wheel lock which clamps arount
a wheel and is pointed on the ent
has been calmly fixed" by a gam
in order to take an unusually de
sirable car. A car bearing thi
lock cannot be run without con
siderable noise and a severe jol
at every revolution OF the wheel
but the thief in this case remove
the shackled wheel and substitut
ed another. all in broad daylight
|, with the slight protection of SINAI
group Of assistants who stoo
around SO that passers-by wou
not know just what repairs We
going on.
But suppose the owner shoul
come out while the thieves were
| leisurely tinkering with his propel
ty? And of course he occasional
does, and the party disperses thu
and there, sometimes the thiev'
taking their departure hastily
the car.
The auto thief does not alws!
object to the owner Of a car bein
present while he works Ono
the more reckless Jacks. who y
parently was bored with the nj
notony OF stealing unprotected ca
took a small car from under U
nose OF the driver, and policema
The driver got out to light D
lamps as it was getting dark q
q policeman was posted on U
corner ahead. AS the owner VI
lighting the rear lamp the q
started of and by the time he o.
the policeman had recovered no
the shock the machine was out
sight.
There will doubtless always !
| a large number Of auto thefts, eve
when precautions are taken
owners, but with the recently q
acted federal law penalizing inul
state commerce in stolen cars, w
the specialist in automobile sleu!.
ing coming to the fore, and WI
owners gradually acquiring mol
caution about leaving their carr ~
protected, the losses should dimi,
! ish in the future. Automobile stea
| ing is becoming q hazardous "
idertaking.