SAN CLEMENTE : Officer Honored for Stopping Car Thieves

A San Clemente police officer was recently honored by the Automobile Club of Southern California for arresting suspected car thieves and recovering stolen vehicles, many of which were bound for the border.

Officer Daryl Alison received the “10851” award during a special ceremony last week, the first time a San Clemente police officer has won the award.

The award gets its name from the state penal code section relating to the theft of vehicles.

During the past year, Alison recovered 12 stolen cars and made eight arrests, said Chuck Kurtz, manager of the Auto Club’s Laguna Beach office.

In 1991 alone, more than 312,000 vehicles were stolen in the state, representing about $900 million in losses, according to the auto club. Although the crime is on the increase, law enforcement agencies are recovering about 87% of stolen cars.

“This high recovery rate is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of officers like Officer Alison,” Kurtz said.

In the San Clemente area, many of the stolen cars are often being taken to Mexico, where they are stripped or altered.

In the past, many California Highway Patrol officers in southern Orange County have received the award for their efforts to recover stolen cars, Kurtz said.