Vehicle thefts dropped for the third consecutive year in Solano County

Solano sees fewer vehicle thefts
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 07/22/2009 01:00:33 AM PDT
Updated: 07/22/2009 01:00:33 AM PDT

Vehicle thefts dropped for the third consecutive year in Solano County and statewide, the California Highway Patrol announced Tuesday.

There were 2,478 vehicle thefts in Solano County in 2007 and only 2,250 last year. That's a drop of 9.2 percent, according to CHP statistics.

Vehicle thefts in Solano County fell slightly more than 10 percent between 2006 to 2007. And they slid 3.3 percent from 2005 to 2006, the figures show.

California saw its largest drop in vehicle thefts in more than a decade, according to CHP statistics. The figures reveal that in 2008 there was a 12.2 percent decrease statewide.

"It's good news and a trend we'd like to see continue," CHP spokeswoman Fran Clader said.

Honda and Toyota models continue to be most popular among car thieves, according to the statistics.

Toyota has consistently ranked as the most frequently stolen pickup truck since 1984.

CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said in a statement that he credits the work of law enforcement statewide along with prevention efforts by the public, for the decrease.

But the economic loss to Californians from stolen vehicles still exceeds $1 billion, Farrow said.

Slightly less encouraging than the falling stolen vehicle figures is the fact that the number of stolen vehicles recovered is also dropping, according to the CHP statistics.

Of the 199,766 vehicles reported stolen statewide last year, 86.8 percent were recovered. This compares to 88.2 percent in 2007.
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In Solano County, about 10 percent fewer stolen vehicles were recovered in 2007 than in 2006, the figures show.

Statistics reveal that Southern California continues to be a vehicle theft hot spot, with nearly 56 percent of all thefts statewide occurring in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.

Sierra County had 100 percent fewer vehicles stolen last year than in 2007, the most significant decline among the state's 58 counties, according the CHP figures. Mono County, on the other hand, had a 133.3 percent increase in the number of vehicles stolen last year over 2007.

"The cheapest form of defense is to simply employ the anti-theft devices that are standard on all vehicles -- locks," Farrow said. "Lock your car and take your keys."

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or RachelZ@thnewsnet.com.

To help ensure your vehicle remains where you left it:

* Park in a well-lit, populated area.

* Don't warm up or leave your vehicle running unattended.

* Consider a visible or audible device that alerts thieves the vehicle is protected.

* Consider an immobilizing device, which can prevent thieves from bypassing the ignition and hot-wiring a vehicle.

* Consider a tracking device, which can help authorities recover stolen vehicles.

Source: California Highway Patrol