Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05

the engine block, and, with SteeI
punch. impress new figure whose dig
its are only partly replaced, That Is
he might erase every other digit, or Just
the first three, Just as his artistic taSteS
dictate The amateur thief believes
! then that the car is beyond Identified
ton, but others know better.
| Every auto detective worth his daily
salt can immediately tell an altered
/ number. and he has made such close
! study of the anatomy of the thieving
! ilk that he smells their presence. III
nearly every case, 1t has been possible
to bring back the original motor num-
Der. This is one of the guarded Sc
crets of Washington's auto squad. A
Yankee detective has discovered q
method of cooking" motor block so
hat its number shines out stronger
than on the day it left the factory.
Should the sleuthS be unable to bring
back the original number. they have
other ways of going about their bust
ness In addition to the engine num-
Der. they know where to find the fac
tory number, serial number and car
number. These figures are effectively
concealed on different parts of the
car, and unless you know where and
how TO find them the treasures will re-
main hidden Ali these means of iden-
tification failing. the sleuths have &C
cess TO numbers on all principal Access
sorieS, the generators, frames and trans
missions.
A TITO manufacturers have gone to
much expense to protect lawful auto
owners. Their filing systems are so
efficient that with the least clue they
can supply detectives with a descrip-
ton of the car. its true motor and Sc
rial number. the date of manufacture
and the original buyer, kilograms
bound back and forth continually be-
tween police departments and the big
filing rooms in Detroit, completing the
circuit much quicker than 1t takes a
thief to alter single piece of identi-
fication.
It is also interesting to know of the
Underwriters Detective Bureau, whose
clearing houses all over the country
keep records of every automobile stolen
and recovered This service is sup
ported by insurance companies, and its
salient function Is prevention rather
than policing It means TO erect such
powerful barriers in the way of crook
ing that an automobile might be left
unmatched any place in these States,
In addition, the various police de-
partments and detective agencies keep
complete files Of auto criminals. One
has the names of $500 such motor
thieves and the photos of 1000 who
have been convicted on thieving
charges. Only one-half of the alleged
$500 crooks are in jail and close tab is
kept on many of those at large. Three
thousand fences" are reported to be
gs. the h4tefYlrcc IF 6hnRyfy1cy'f
stolen autos
Hey, there" said the friendly de-
tective to an old acquaintance. Il see
you're out of jail now. Didn't treat
you bad did they?"
Nav" drawied Gasoline Mike.
they're fine fellows. And I'm going
straight now Lookin' for a Job. Know
anybody wants help"
Not right now. But what's that
under your arm?"
''Nutilin'
Well. Mike, let's see what 'nuthin
looks like
The package of ''nuthin" consisted
Of three sets of new license plates-and
Mike had never earned enough money
IN buy an inner tube.
Come along down Pennsylvania
avenue. or Fourteenth street, or r street
lk TIE speedway. 1dES dIl0 LG1S 6llp
cars. Parked tight Just enough breath
ng space for carbureter between them.
II you had in your pocket the license
numbers of 10 autos stolen in the last
tx days how would you 60 about find
ing them If their plates had been
changed? Now enter the auto sleuth.
A sad owner has told him that his
car is black and of the well known
species that migrates out Of Detroit
1t had Bumpty- Bump tires and shiny
radiator
Ever have any trouble with your
car?-mechanical trouble, nlean?"
asked the detective.
NO. never: she was a good old boat
Alright in her tires and watertight in
i1er body. Never stalled once, and jump
ed pudd1es like long-legged frog. A
great automobile" he sighed sentiment
tally. she got jar once when my
wife ran into a telephone pole and bent
a fender. repaired the damage my
self with a homemade brace"
"Ugh!" gasped the sleuth, Home
made brace. Tell me all about that
home made brace"