BUENA PARK : Program Launched to Combat Car Theft

In response to a burgeoning auto theft problem, the Police Department has launched an innovative new program that calls on residents to give officers permission to stop their cars if they are spotted on the road during early morning hours.

Police Chief Richard Tefank said the program is intended for people who do not usually drive their cars between 1 and 5 a.m. He said participants in the program will be given a small bumper sticker as a signal to patrol officers that the vehicle should not normally be operating during that period.

The participants will also be required to sign a form authorizing police to stop their vehicles if they are spotted on the road during those hours.

Operation CAT, which stands for Combat Auto Theft, is also being conducted in Huntington Beach. It was unveiled by Buena Park police last week.

The program is aimed primarily at personal vehicles, but Tefank said the police hope to eventually include business cars or trucks and heavy equipment.

According to police statistics, the number of auto thefts in Buena Park has increased from 702 in 1986 to 1,024 in 1989. Tefank said one of the reasons that the statistics are getting worse is victim apathy.

If their car is stolen, people think “I get a new car,” Tefank said.

Operation CAT is being operated in association with the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is providing the bumper stickers. Representatives from the Automobile Club said their auto insurance services paid about $13 million in claims on stolen cars in Southern California last year.

People interested in signing up for the program must bring their car and registration to the Police Department.