HUNTINGTON BEACH : Stickers Are Key in Fighting Auto Theft

Police have started a program that relies on small yellow-and-blue stickers to help fight auto theft.

The 4-by-3-inch sticker, if placed on the lower left corner of the rear windshield, grants police the right to automatically stop the vehicle if it is seen on the road during prime auto theft hours--1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Huntington Beach is the second city in Orange County to adopt the Combat Auto Theft program, which is based on a successful New York City program launched in 1986. San Clemente initiated the first such effort in the county two months ago, and other police departments are now considering similar programs, authorities said.

Drivers who participate in the program sign consent forms giving police the authority to stop their vehicles. Officers “will use discretion when pulling a car over,” said Police Sgt. William Van Cleve said, “but will go into a situation having the opinion that it is stolen.”

The program will help reduce auto thefts because it “is a public awareness vehicle,” Van Cleve said. “We need people concerned about the safety of their cars.”

Auto thefts in Huntington Beach have risen 31% since 1987, Van Cleve said, with 24 to 27 vehicles stolen each week. Car thieves in Huntington Beach and throughout the region have been favoring Toyotas and Hyundai Excels recently, Van Cleve said.