Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
ngton Police Recover % Per Cent of Stolen Cars

soon find an invulnerable position in
the shaping of American language.
But the origin of bent" as applied
to motor thieving is still occult, as Is
the derivation of many synonyms issuing
from the strange underworld
A few weeks ago Washington was rock
ed by a spectacular series of grocery store
robberies that baffled the detective
| force They had been committed by
dangerous pair who had Bertillion rec
ords at police headquarters and whose
faces were familiar to every man on the
| force
These partners in crime we're auto
| thieves as we'll as grocery store rob-
bers. One day their advertised faces
were seen in an automobile by
| member of the auto squad and a merry
chase ensued. the pursued in high-
speed carriage and the pursuer IN q
| lizzie" One of the bandits was
, wounded, but he kept right on, whiIs
| tective with gun
| In their hot" car they bent their
| backs toward the District and made
| for more comfortable climate. The
wounded criminal was forced to drop
off at Pittsburgh for medical atten-
| ton. He was admitted into a hospital,
where he was known as a mystery
man." One of his letters gave Pitts
| burgh detectives all they needed, and
before long d line of communication
was opened with Washington police.
That ended another criminals career
The car was recovered, too.
A MOTHER recent case had to do
with two brothers from a neigh
boring State. These unwary fellows
thought it would be profitable to steal
cars. forge bills of sale, alter motor
block numbers and buy District
chimes they would 60 ont into rural
districts and push sales among farmers.
Here's my bill If sale" one of the
brothers would say, the Washington
license is on The car What am 1
offered?"
The brothers we're innocent of what
a modern police force does to curb
criminals, else they would have been
out of sight che day when a member
of the auto squad walked up while one
of the brothers sat in the car.
''Howdy," said the law
Hi" said the addressed.
Got an operators permit2"
''Yeh, nav, my brother-guess he's
got one"
Well, I'd like an introduction to
him Don't mind, do you?"
Not in the least seeing how an
!. other vigilant sleuth was coming up
from the rear.
The introduction came in due time
and the brothers we're arrested. Re-
leased. they juxped their bonds before
, trial and absconded to California,
. where they were rearTested.
While it is the express duty of the
, auto squad to locate stolen machines
and apprehend thieves. they are aided
, in this to a great extent by policemen
patrolling the city's precincts.
Noting car parked in one place for
, any length of time. patrolnan will
investigate until he is satisfied about its
, ownership. If he feels suspicious, he
has only TO lift the hood, find the engine
number and communicate with the auto
squad It may be a stolen car and this
! fact is soon discovered. Waiting near
the spot may lead to the arrest of the
( thief. Precinct patrolmen recover many
of the cars abandoned on their beats
by ''ioy-riders" Usually tanks are
! empty or the bearings have been burned
! out from running without enough oil.
: The man who alphabetically sets
himself up as a fence" IN auto traf-
flcking soon finds himself drawn into
CHI nAtdCA WI o0NACtS tAlSN VIII
him tenaciously while his services are
beneficial But as an aftermath. he
may be saddled with the crimes OF
9 his henchmen and even suffer their
! penalties.
, Federal authorities may fix an auto
thief's bail as high as $1,000. yet II
= is not rare for one Of the fraternity
, to Jump" for another city. But his
, fate is sealed If the law has his
: Bertiliion record the nets are cast and
: the bait set. Then II is only matter
of time.
! In Europe auto thieving does not
, thrive nearly 50 well as here. The
gendarmerie is not faced with the task
! of protecting millions Of automobiles.
nor do traffickers have such wide ex-
: panses IN which 10 operate. A car
. stolen in Paris. for instance, would
have great difficulty getting by the
city gates Europeans exercise such
close scrutiny of auto owners that TO
drive a contraband car over nations
border would require a thief whose
friendly associations extended 20 the
most trusted public officials 1t is rare.
! indeed. that London, Paris or Berlin
police do not find stolen auto. USUALLY
within "a horWS after the reported
theft The cases are so rare that the
system OF espionage must neceSSsrtl
| nave higher efficiency than In AmericT