Don’t Give Car Thief Any Help

Motor vehicle thefts are down in Orange County, new crime statistics show. But don’t be fooled by numbers: vehicle crime remains a major headache for police--and its victims.

In the county’s eight largest cities last year, nearly 8,000 vehicles were reported stolen.

Santa Ana showed 2,456 vehicle thefts, Anaheim 1,627. Even pristine Irvine shows a vehicle theft per day.

Thefts are down, police say, because some of us have become more defensive, using locking devices, car alarms and other safety measures. You can now even buy a gizmo that will cut off your gas; the thief won’t make it past your driveway.

So then why do so many still lose vehicles to thieves? Because too many of us remain careless.

“We’ve got people who don’t even lock their houses at night,” said Nina Berndt, crime prevention officer for the Placentia Police Department. “They don’t give a thought to locking up their cars.”

Stacy Margolin, director of the Southern California Crime Prevention Officers Assn., warns that almost nothing will spare you if a professional car thief targets your vehicle. “But most thieves are amateurs,” she said. “They just want your vehicle to go from Point A to Point B. What they’re looking for are easy targets.”

Besides locking your car, here are other police tips to help assure you aren’t that easy target:

* Do not leave your keys in the ignition when you step into a store. Surprisingly, police say, many do; and some pay the price.

* Don’t leave expensive items visible on your car seat. Authorities say some crooks who aren’t actually interested in stealing your car give in to impulse once they spot your laptop computer in the back.

* Clear out your garage so there’s room for why it’s there--to park your car.

“Auto theft investigators say they’ve never had a case of a car stolen from a locked garage,” Margolin points out.

But if you can’t use your garage, at least park in your driveway. Street thefts are dramatically higher than driveway thefts.

* Park in well-lit areas, especially in shopping centers.

“Even if you have to walk a little farther, it’s worth it,” Margolin said.

* Never leave your motor running when you are out of the vehicle.

“We see this all the time,” Margolin said. “People taking what they see as a quick trip to the ATM machine, or a pay phone. But it only takes a thief a minute.”

Huntington Beach police provide residents a list of do’s and don’ts on vehicle thefts. It points out that thieves are wise to spare keys hidden around your vehicle. One tip most of us wouldn’t think of: Remove the rotor from your vehicle’s distributor if you’re going away for long.

Suzie Wajda, Huntington Beach’s crime prevention officer, points out something else effective: Join Operation CAT (Combat Auto Theft.) Here’s how it works:

Most auto thefts occur from 1 to 5 a.m. With CAT, you get a decal that gives police permission to stop your vehicle if it’s seen on the street during those hours. Most who join know they rarely would be out at that time.

More than 3,000 Huntington Beach residents carry CAT decals. You can check with your police department, or the Automobile Club of Southern California ([213] 741-3111) to see if Operation CAT is available in your city.

Readers may reach Jerry Hicks by calling (714) 564-1049 or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com