South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-03
COMMISSION PLANS
TO BRING END TO
THEFTS OF AUTOS
Chicago Organization Takes
Steps to Destroy Market
for Stolen Cars.

CHICAGO. March destroy the
market for stolen automobiles and
thereby stop the thefts. Is the plan
now in process of formation by the
interstate motor theft commission
here.
Laws. locks and protective de-
vices have proved themselves mad
equate. says W r. Van CORTLAND,
Commissioners. The professional mo-
tor car thief is unaba shed. Motor
vehicles Of an approximate value OF
100000. the commissioner says. are
stolen every day in the United
States. despite all measures taken
10 check the thievery. Large num-
bers of persons thrive az a result OF
the traffic.
The plan Is this:
a car is stolen i'm Chicago. II the
numbers are changed one of two
things happens, either a duplicate Of
some other number IS made or a
fake number. one that the manufac-
turer never placed on a car. When
the car is sold and re-registered in
any state some number must be
given. 4 duplicate number viii inn
mediately be caught and the two or
more cars carrying that number
will be thoroughly investigated. \
fake number Will show up just as
quickly and be looked into. If the
number is not changed there will be
IA report of the number on the COM
missions records as that of a stolen
car and when the same number is
registered again from the same state
or any other il viii Immediately be
caught
The lack of any national clearance
system i'm the past has been one of
the largest contributing factors in
making this lawlessness easy and
profitable, Mr.. Van CORTLAND states.
With the commissions national
clearance system in operation car
stolen i'm Maine, the numbers
changed and the car sold and regis
tered i'm California, would imme-
diately be caught, he asserts.
The plan is virtually a finger
print" system as applied to autOmo-
bnes. a master record of every car
registered i'm the as states as we'll as
the new cars that come into exist
ence is to be kept at the commits
slon's headquarters. The numerical
arrangement Of the records makes
checking Of any vehicle simple and
automatic A Smith eight" for ex-
ample. engine number 1894. is reg
istered with the state. The commits
sion receives this number and goes
to post It, but finds another Smith
eight" already registered In that
state or some other-aud they do not
| correspond in detail. II is immedl-
ately apparent that one Is incorrect.
| No man changes these numbers eX-
cept for fraud. 1t is a simple pro-
cess of elimination for the law en-
| forcement bodies having jurisdiction
over these cars to determine where
I the trouble lies and then with the
aid Of the commission, the original
identity Of the stolen car and To
whom it belongs is determined.
Through this national clearance
test" the commission believes that il
/ will be virtually impossible TO dis
/ pose permanently Of a stolen ma
Chine. Closely identified with the
commission are sheriffs, police de-
/ partment heads. chambers Of com.
/ merce secretaries, manufacturers
\ business and professional men
/ Names that appear on the national
ADVISORY boards include Joseph a
Faurot deputy police commissioner
\ New York; Dan Beard. national boy
scout commissioner; J. A. Hall edu'
cational director. Associated Adver
Using Clubs of the World. and Gut
zen Borigium, sculptor and presiden'
Of the International Sporting club.