PLACENTIA : Program Aims to Reduce Auto Theft

A program that police hope will increase the number of stolen cars recovered by officers as well as cut down on auto thefts was implemented in Placentia this month.

City residents who register in the Combat Auto Theft program, called CAT, sign a release form that allows police to stop their vehicle between 1 and 5 a.m., the period when most auto thefts occur.

Participants will receive a rear window decal for their vehicle to identify them as participants in the program.

“If the car is seen between those hours, police will assume it is stolen,” said community service officer Lisa Terfehr. “If the driver can prove he is the owner, he will be released.”

The program was designed for residents who don’t normally drive in the early morning; however, participants are not prohibited from doing so.

“They just need to be prepared to be pulled over for an investigative stop,” Terfehr said.

Terfehr said police, once they have stopped a vehicle with the CAT sticker, must treat the incident as they would any other investigative stop.

If they suspect the driver is intoxicated or have any other suspicions, the officer must take appropriate action even if the driver is the owner of the car.

One potential drawback to the program is that once a vehicle leaves the city, it is out of the Placentia Police Department’s jurisdiction.

Other law enforcement agencies may also stop stickered vehicles; however, officers in cities that don’t participate may not be as alert in spotting the stickers.

“The program works best when surrounding cities participate,” Terfehr said. “We hope it will catch on with other cities.”

Only a few other cities in Orange County--La Palma, Anaheim, Buena Park and San Clemente--have implemented the CAT program, which was started in New York City in 1986.

The California Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s Department are also participating.

Statistics that would show whether or not the program has been successful elsewhere are not available, according to Carol Van Natter, a spokeswoman for the Auto Club of Southern California, which is underwriting the program.

But Van Natter said that both New York City and the state of Arizona have reported a decrease in auto thefts and an increase in the recovery of stolen vehicles since implementing the program.

La Palma Police Capt. Vince Giampa said that of the 140 vehicles his city has registered since June, none has been reported stolen.

“This program won’t significantly decrease theft, but it is a deterrent,” Giampa said. “It is definitely better than no program at all.”