Evening star., 1925-04-12
by WILLIAM ULLMAN,

Now it's the borrowed car" prob
lem, according to the records touch
ing upon the careers of cars that
have escaped the eagle eyes of their
respective owners.
In 2S index cities a total of ST.
III motor cars were stolen durin g
1924. But 47,4S4 of them were recoV-
cred
The question is, How many of these
nars were taken from their owners
with the idea Of definite theft and
how many were simply borrowed"
for joy-ride. thrill or perhaps
press of necessity?
OF the 10.064 motor vehicles stolen
from the streets of New York City
last year 7.10l were subsequently
recovered. In Chicago the recovery
vas even higher 403S out of 4.946
stolen cars being recovered the year
they were stolen. All index cities
considered, the percentage of recov-
cry reached the surprising figure of
Sc
Definite Probe Not Made.
Eighty three per cent of the sup
posed theft of automobiles, there
fore, is either failure to get away
with it, ignorance of the difficulties
involved. stringenCy of the certificate
of-title laws or a mere desire to bor-
row a car a few hours or days. No
definite investigation of the subject
has been made. but circumstances
surrounding the recovery of a large
percentage of missing cars Indicate
that promiscuous borrowing of cars
figures largely in the matter.
The records OF insurance adjusters
reveal many so-called reCoveries of
missing cars as merely a matter Of
CHANGING to find cars that have been
bandoned. Cars are frequently found
with empty gasoline tanks. indicat-
ing the amateur nature of the theft
1t is pointed out that the pro-
fessional car thief seldom attempts
10 drive out of the city the night
or day Of the actual theft. prefer
ring to take the car to some back
alley garage where he can make such
substitutions and alterations as are
necessary in avoiding detection. He
always has plenty of gas when he
sets out on the actual flight.
Many persons who have been
caught with cars not belonging TO
them were found to have little or no
money. They could not get further
than the contents of the gas tank,
and in many cases had no desire to
They just wanted transportation for
the time being. In such cases any
car that happened to be unlocked
answered the purpose.
Average Thief Novice.
The large number of stolen cars
found wrecked along the roads is
also construed proof of the anna
teuriShness of the average car thief
of today. Very often the thieves do
not even take the trouble to famil
iarize themselves with the pcculiar-
ties of the make of car they select
and they come to grief by reason of
the CimD1cSt pf mistakes
This is usually the case where the
car is being used for the convenience
and transportation solely of the Dor
rover" but where hairpins and other
evidences of joy-riding are found the
wreckinG Of the car is not ncces
sarily confined TO mere unfamiliarity
with its operation.
Almost invariably the amateur thief
does not protect himself with an oper-
ator's license. The professional, on
the other hand, realizing that it is
a serious enough matter not to be
able to display the owners license for
the vehicle should he be stopped in
his flight, invariably protects himself
TO the extent of showing that he is
duly licensed to drive automobiles.
That lends an air of truth to what
,~er explanation he offers regarding
his failure TO produce an owners Ii
cense for the car
Owners License in Car.
The motor vehicle laws usually re-
quire. the owner to carry the license
with the car at all times, which is
frequently an assistance to the pro-
fessional car thief. owners who do
their own driving carry both owners
and operators license in their pock-
cts but where several other members
of the family may drive the car it is
often the practice to carry the own
er's license in the car. Some owners
make it doubly convenient for the
thief by putting the license in card
holder and attaching it to the in
strument board.
These points are seldom considered,
however, by the prowier who just
wants to borrow a. stray car for a
while. He is just as likely to steal
An older model as a new one. He
looks for the easiest and safest
proposition. but he often takes the
most difficult one without realizing it.
The professional, on the other hand,
never makes any attempt to under
take the job until he knows all its
angles.
The borrowed car" problem is gem
orally regarded as being a greater
public menace than the commercial