The New York herald., 1921-05-30
Flivvers Pass Like Currency
Because They Are Hard
to Identify.
OWNERS OFTEN CROOKED
Police Find Cases Where Cars
Are Stolen by Arrangement
and for Insurance.

SN&~~NoeNSA
many varieties of crooks at work In
this city. so far this year has stolen
2,209 automobiles. This is at the rate
ofabout fifteen cars a day. In their
counter offensive the police have re-
covered 1,o25. This leaves approx
mately eight automobile owners q day
to take renewed interest in the sub
way.
These figures are those of the Police
Department. but they are issued with
the statement that the flag" due to the
delay in the recovery of stolen cars
will probably bring the percentage re-
covered to about fifty-f1ve, making the
daily total successfully stolen seven.
AT $1,000 car, a reasonable estimate,
this indicates a yearly loss of s2,50o,0o0
In motor thefts.
For single week. that ending Feb
ruary s, not a single car was reported
as stolen, 1t Is said. This was during
the Whitman inquiry into the stolen
automobile situation. when the calculat-
ing crooks feared a Police Department
smarting under accusations of conni-
vance with the thieves and on its toes
to grab anything approaching an auto
mobile thief.
New System I'm Operation.
AS the result of the Indictment of
half a dozen men connected with the
automobile squad for neglect of duty.
failure to turn over rewards to the
proper police authority and other Of
fences a reorganization of the squad
has taken place. Detective Sergeant
Edward j. Dillon. the present head of
the squad. has devised several new
methods of prevention and Of recovery
OF stolen cars These innovations have
not yet had sufficient time to develop,
but the number of automobiles stolen
has increased compared with last year
For the first quarter OF 1920. 1855
automobiles were stolen and 571 recov-
cred. The first three months of this
year show 1,24s cars stolen and 64s re-
covered. In April 515 cars were taken
and 210 recovered. and 80 far In May
446 have been stolen and 172 recov-
cred. The recovery figures will show
an increase, as cars stolen during this
period are recovered from time to time
One reason for the jump since last year
is that the open winter and early spring
kept many cars out of dead storage all
winter.
There are a good many reasons why
automobile stealing is safer and more
lucrative form of theft than any other
One is that instead of having to carry
away the loot the loot carries the thief
Another is that there are 5000. 900 in
use in the United States, and IL is com
paratively easy in consequence safely TO
dispose of cars
Some Owners willing Losers.
Another reason. so the police contend.
is that owners are not always sorry to
lose their cars. An automobile depre-
ciates rapidly; with poor driving II may
become scrap iron within a year. Con-
sequently It is hard for an automobile
owner with a car insured to the limit
but missing on a few cylinders, with its
tenders crumpled and paint scratched,
to feel really sorry when a thief rides
away in 1t. Such an owner reports the
car missing, waits sixty days, collects
his insurance and buys a new car.
The police make the positive state
ment that small proportion of owners
of cars leave them unlocked in positions
favorable for a thief. Others permit
careless friends to drive them. Some
crooked owners after insuring a car and
IL stolen. II fs charged.
The insurance companies are much
inclined to back UP the statement of the
police to the extent that a great many
people with locks and other safeguards
against theft are decidedly careless In
applying them.
But although carelessness or crook
edness on the part of certain proper
ton of owners causes the theft of the
cars, the great body of car owners are
not in the least willing to have their
cars stolen. Owners of Fords, who are
ashamed to take too many precautions
against thieves, may be interested TO
know that the automobile crooks are not
too proud to lift a flivver. Some of them
specialize on this car. for II is as hard
to identify, once the crooks finish their
work, as a coin would be.
In his efforts TO combat the rising
number of automobile thefts Sergeant
Dillon has instituted a system of exam
ming repair shops. paint shops and
wrecking stations throughout the city.
The big nightly crush In the theatri-
cal district is n favorite working place
for automobile thieves. Cars are gem
orally parked between Eighth and Ninth
avenues and along other nearby thor
oughfares where this is permitted.
Crooks walk up to a car which they
have previously looked over at dis
tance. get in and drive away while the
former occupants are enjoying the great
crook drama at the Hysterio around the
corner.
The organization OF the new metro
politan district, which includes parts OF
Connecticut and New Jersey and upper
New York State. Is now aiding in quick
communication OF descriptions OF cars.
suspected crooks, &C. 20 various local
police authorities. Descriptions OF stolen
care, with all the license and factory
numbers. are sent out from New York
city nightly by wireless.
Tracing "Queer', Owners.