Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-08-05
AUTO THIEVES
MULCT BUYERS
THOUSANDS OF STOLEN CARS
SOLD TO UNsUSPEcTiN6
BARGAIN HUNTERS.
IF FOUND, PURCHASER is LOSER
Before Buying From Strangers Make
Sure They Are Rishtfui Owners
OF Car They Are Trying to Sell.

automobile thieves are operating in
the State OF Michigan. In 1919 the
City OF Detroit alone lost 3,4S2 auto
mobiles, the value OF which was So.
loo .327.00 The Detroit Police Depart.
ment recovered 2,709 stolen automo.
biles the value OF which was s. .697.-
$50 90. From these figures IL will be
seen that 773 cars OF value OF S467,-
683 90 were never recovered For the
first six months OF 1920 Detroit has lost
1893 automobiles OF which l,27S have
been recovered, leaving 3l5 cars still
uncovered. This is only for the City
or Detroit Complete statistics OF
stolen cars for the whole State OF
Michigan. cannot be accurately com.
piled The conclusion follows. how
ever that a vast amount of valuable
property is being stolen each day
thru automobile thefts
Bargains" Arc Apt TO Be 6oomecanas
The people themselves are largely
TO blame for this state OF affairs A
great many unsuspecting persons pur-
chase an automobile cheaply from
whatever person offers ii for sale
No investigation whatever is made as
TO whether the vendor is legally the
owner. The purchaser in great
many cases never requests TO see the
registration card, which is issued by
the Secretary OF State. The only
question involved when a great many
people purchase car is the price. Ii
It is bargain the deal is closed
IL is a simple matter for thieves
to change the various Manufacturers
numbers on a car In such a way as TO
deceive any one not making very
thorough inspection II actual cases
are cited showing how automobile
thieves operate, IL may be OF some
he may be deceived in purchasing
stolen car
One Farmer Sells Stolen Cars.
About the 18th OF May 1920
Deputy Sheriff In a certain County
noticed that farmer, apparently OF
good reputation, WAS in possession OF
new car every few days. The
farmer was posing as a Used Car
Dealer and stated that he had pur-
chased the cars in Detroit "on the
market Investigation disclosed that
the cars were stolen and following this
lead forty stolen cars were recovered
Automobile thieves in this particu-
lar instance operated as follows:
Of ha he
car from the streets of Detroit, ran
it TO a secret garage and changed the
motor and serial Plumbers in such
way that the change could not be
easily detected The car was then
transferred 10 this certain County
and easily disposed of because it was
offered for sale at a very attractive
price. and no one In this County had
any reason. OF course. TO believe that
the possessor OF it was not the legal
owner
The authorities upon discovering that
the car was stolen. simply took pos.
session OF Il. and after ir had been
identified by its original owner was
returned to him One farmer who
had purchased a stolen car when
asked whether he missed il when the
authorities took it away from him
stated that he did not miss IL half
as much as the old horse he sold to |
purchase it," This particular farmer
had sold a good horse TO purchase a
stolen car. As a result of his foolish |
investment he lost both .t--,
Make Sure Seller Owns The Car.
II you desire to purchase a car go
to some authorized dealer and pay the
market price rather than take a |
chance OF purchasing from a fly by
night dealer" Buy from some one
who you know will be in business to.
morrow aud the day after. Do not
think you are getting "a good thing"
because some one is Offering you
practically new car dirt cheap. Since
thousands Of cars are being stolen it
stands to reason that some one must
purchase these cars. Thieves steal
o sell they do not steal automobiles
o us$ themselves. the chance of de-
ection ~ too great.
At any rate If you cannot resist
he temptation to purchase a new
ar from an unknown person. cheaply,
It least take all the reasonable pre-
autions in protecting yourself from
purchasing a stolen car Inspect the
erial and engine numbers yourself.
Always secure the registration card
IS issued by the Secretary OF state.
Demand a Bill OF Sale properly made
tut. establish the identity of the
endor. so that you could locate him
n case you desire If you are in
Ioubt. call some police officer or
herin and have him look at it
The Detroit Automobile Club has
ssued a warning as set out in various
fosters distributed over the state.
his is for your protection and is not
q serve any selfish purpose what
yer The people at large should
now what is going on within the Dor.
lers OF Michigan. and the figures set
ut at the beginning of this article
how what a great traffic is going on
"A stolen automobiles Think twice
,efore you purchase car whose OWL
" you know nothing about.