A Strip Show Car Owners Won’t Forget

It took three professionals 11 minutes and 24 seconds to disassemble a stolen 1985 Chevy Monte Carlo in front of a crowd of about 300 in downtown San Diego on Thursday.

The three men were body shop repairmen from Detroit, participating in a demonstration sponsored by Allstate Insurance. Allstate has staged similar demonstrations over the last few months in several major cities to show how quickly thieves can dismantle cars. The company also provides tips for auto theft prevention.

One of the repairmen, Ken Mayry, said the average time it takes for a single thief to dismantle a vehicle, using high powered tools, is 12 to 15 minutes. But, on Thursday, it took three repairmen 11 minutes using hand tools, such as cutting snippers, jackknives and wrenches to take apart the car.

The midnight-blue car used in the illustration had been stolen from a San Diego resident and recovered by Allstate months later. Before the demonstration, it was worth $4,736. But, after the disassembled parts were scattered on the concourse of the Security Pacific Plaza Office Building at 3rd Avenue and B Street, they were worth $10,489, according to Allstate.

“This is a $7-billion-a-year business in the U.S., and a $1-billion-a-year business in California alone,” said Chuck Martin, regional vice president for Allstate. “About 1.4 million cars are stolen each year in the United States. . . . In California, almost 190,000 cars disappear annually, and 40,896 of those are in San Diego County alone. From 1985 to 1989, vehicle theft in San Diego has tripled.”

Martin said the thieves typically take the stolen vehicles to “chop shops,” where parts are stripped off.

John Graham, a crime prevention specialist for the San Diego Police Department, encouraged residents to enroll in Combat Auto Theft, a nationwide theft prevention program that organized in San Diego last year. The voluntary program allows owners to sign a waiver giving police the right to stop the vehicle from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Some of the theft prevention tips Allstate provided were to park in well-lighted areas; lock doors and windows; never leave keys in a car; keep packages and valuables hidden; remove the title from the vehicle and use a security system.