Transcript Criminal Investigation eighth edition FIFTEEN Vehicle Thefts and Related Offenses Swanson • Chamelin • Territo McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Criminal
Investigation
eighth edition
FIFTEEN
Vehicle Thefts and Related Offenses
Swanson • Chamelin • Territo
McGraw-Hill
© 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Identify types of motor vehicle theft
• Be familiar with techniques for disposing of stolen motor
vehicles
• Describe challenges associated with the theft
investigation of heavy equipment and farm equipment
• Identify major investigative resources
• Discuss methods for assisting in the identification of a
recovered vehicle
• List and explain several vehicle theft fraud indicators
• Describe vehicle fire investigation methods
• Explain vehicle and equipment theft prevention
approaches
• Assess title and registration issues related to marine
theft
• Discuss aircraft and avionics theft and relevant
identification and investigative techniques.
McGraw-Hill
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AUTO THEFT
• It has been estimated that approximately two
percent of reported thefts are of motorcycles
• National and international rings operate,
particularly in cities near ports, to export vehicles
• Since the collapse of communism in eastern
Europe, the theft of motor vehicles has
skyrocketed
• The theft of airbags and the resale of stolen
salvaged airbags is becoming epidemic
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TYPES OF THEFT
• Motor vehicle thefts generally fall into one of four
categories: temporary theft, joy riding,
professional theft or fraud
– Temporary theft. The term temporary theft is used
not to imply that the crime is not serious but, rather, to
distinguish joyriding from something more ominous.
– Joyriding. Joyriders are most often teenagers - 15 to
19 years old - who steal a car simply to drive and then
abandon it.
– Professional Theft. The professional car thief is
motivated by very high profits and generally low risk.
– Fraud. These various types of crimes are generally
committed by the owner, and the underlying purpose
is to profit at the expense of an insurance company.
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TECHNIQUES TO DISPOSE OF STOLEN VEHICLES
• Chop Shops. Very simply, a chop shop is a
place where stolen vehicles are disassembled
for resale of their parts.
• Quick Strip. A vehicle is stolen and stripped
mainly for valuable accessories such as seats,
stereos, car phones, and tires.
• Salvage Switch. To the criminal the value of a
salvaged vehicle is far greater than its parts.
• Export. Vehicles manufactured in the United
States are extremely popular in other countries.
• Fraud B in General. Fraudulent auto theft
claims are not the only type of fraud to which the
insurance industry is subjected, but it is a
significant part.
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CHOP SHOPS
• Inside Chop Shops:
– Stolen vehicles are cut apart
– Parts are sold to repair shops
– Parts are also sold to salvage yards
(Courtesy National Insurance Crime Bureau)
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FRAUDULENT THEFT SCHEMES
• Fraudulent auto theft claim schemes fall into
three major categories:
–
–
–
–
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False-Vehicle Schemes
False-Theft Schemes
Inflated-Theft Loss Schemes
Defrauding the Owner and Insurer
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FALSE-VEHICLE SCHEME
• The insuring of and subsequent reported theft of
a vehicle that never existed
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FALSE-THEFT SCHEME
• A reported vehicle theft that may in reality be an
attempted insurance fraud by hiding, disposing
of or giving up the vehicle
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PROBLEMS RELATING TO THEFT OF OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT
• There are numerous problems relating to the
theft of off-road equipment
• Absence of titling and registration requirements
• The lack of a uniform vehicle identification
numbering system
• The lack of an effective inventory control system
by the equipment owners
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PROBLEMS RELATING TO THEFT OF OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT
(cont'd)
• Until recently there were no permanent ID
numbers on off-road equipment.
• Unfamiliarity of most law enforcement officers
with the:
– nature
– identity
– terminology of heavy equipment
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ILLUSTRATIONS OF HEAVY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
• Theft of heavy
construction
equipment
– More than 2,500 pieces
of this equipment are
stolen each year
– Title or registration of
this equipment is not
mandatory
– The value of these
pieces of equipment
make them lucrative
targets for thieves
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COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AND CARGO THEFT
• As noted earlier, the insurance industry pays out
about $18 million a year for commercial vehicle
theft
– In actuality, it is difficult to convert this figure to
numbers of vehicles because commercial vehicle
theft statistics are part of the overall motor vehicle
theft numbers
• The theft of cargo from or in commercial vehicles
is a rapidly growing criminal enterprise
McGraw-Hill
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INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
• Major Investigative Resources
– National Insurance Crime Bureau
– Canadian Insurance Crime Prevention Bureau. The
Canadian Insurance Crime Prevention Bureau is to
Canada what NICB is to the United States.
– International Association of Auto Theft Investigators.
Another resource available to the investigator is the
International Association of Auto Theft Investigators.
– State Organizations
McGraw-Hill
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INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
(cont'd)
–
–
–
–
–
–
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State Organizations
National Crime Information Center
Special Investigative Units
AAMVANET
Government Agencies
Manufacturers
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INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
(cont'd)
– North American Export Committee
– National Equipment Register
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15-12(c)© 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
• Often the most difficult and time-consuming task
facing an investigator is the identification of a
recovered vehicle
– Federal Safety Certification Label. All cars
distributed in the United States since 1970 must have
a federal safety certification label.
– Federal Legislation. In an effort to reduce auto theft
by easing the process of vehicle identification,
Congress enacted the Motor Vehicle Theft Law
Enforcement Act of 1984.
McGraw-Hill
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VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION (cont'd)
– VIN Editing and Reconstruction. In any
investigation, even where it appears that the VIN has
not been altered or defaced, it is incumbent on the
investigator to check the validity of the identifying
numbers.
– VIN Restoration. The restoration of manufacturers’
serial numbers altered or obliterated from metal is a
process that can be performed by an investigator with
the proper material at hand.
McGraw-Hill
15-13(b)
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EXAMPLE OF 17 DIGIT VIN SYSTEM
• Vehicle Identification numbering systems
– is an individualized means of identifying a motor
vehicle
– it involves 17 characters for all U.S. made cars
1
Nation
of
origin
G
1
Make
Manufacturer
symbol
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A
Restraint
W
69
Car
line
K
2
Engine
symbol
Body
type
C
R 133183
Model
year
Check
digit
Sequential
production
number
Assembly
plant
15-14© 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
STOLEN VEHICLE INDICATORS
• The thorough investigator will become
suspicious enough from the presence of certain
indicators to pursue an investigation to
determine if auto theft has occurred
• The indicators relate to the condition of the
vehicle and/or the suspicious driver's behaviors
• Missing or damaged ignition locks
• Damaged doors, glove compartment or trunk
• Broken or missing window glass
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STOLEN VEHICLE INDICATORS (cont'd)
•
•
•
•
Operating at night without lights
Being pushed or towed at night
Pry marks
Hidden or parked in a remote area
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STOLEN VEHICLE INDICATORS (cont'd)
•
•
•
•
Missing parts or accessories
A nervous driver
A driver unfamiliar with the operation
A driver wearing gloves in warm weather
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INVESTIGATION OF FRAUD CASES
• Generally, the investigation of a motor vehicle
fraudulent insurance claim case will center
around questions involving the insured, the
insurance policy, identification information on the
vehicle, the police report, the status of the
certificate of title, the condition of the vehicle,
and any unusual conditions surrounding the
claim.
McGraw-Hill
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VEHICLE THEFT FRAUD INDICATORS
• Examples would include but not be limited to:
– Insured has lived at current address less than six
months
– Insured’s address is a PO box or mail drop
– Vehicle was purchased with case with no bill of sale
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VEHICLE THEFT FRAUD INDICATORS
(cont'd)
– Vehicle has an incorrect VIN.
– Loss occurs within one month of issue or expiration of
policy
– Police Report is not made by insured or has been
delayed
– Salvage yard or repair garage takes unusual interest
in claim
– Appraiser has difficulty in getting into the body shop to
view and estimate damage
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15-17(b)
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INVESTIGATION OF VEHICLE FIRES
• Inspection of Salvage
• External Inspection
• Internal Inspection
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INVESTIGATION OF VEHICLE FIRES (cont'd)
• Inspection of the fuel system
• Inspection of the Electrical System
• Inspection of the Motor, Radiator, and Parts
Under and Near the Hood
• Inspection of the Body
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15-18(b)
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VEHICLE THEFT PREVENTION TECHNIQUES
• Some devices used to deter auto theft include:
– Audible alarm systems
– The boot under a front tire
– Collars over steering
column bowls
– Decal alert systems that
specify when the vehicle
should not be driven
(Courtesy Citizens for Auto-Theft Responsibility—C.A.R., Inc.)
McGraw-Hill
15-19(a)
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VEHICLE THEFT PREVENTION TECHNIQUES
(cont'd)
–
–
–
–
McGraw-Hill
Fuel shut-off devices
Steering column ignition locks
Protective caps that cover ignitions
Transponders in the ignition that must be run
electronically
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A COLLAR
• The collar is:
– used to deter auto theft
– made of steel or alloy
– is attached to the steering
column bowl to stop
penetration
(Courtesy Citizens for Auto-Theft Responsibility—C.A.R., Inc.)
McGraw-Hill
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EQUIPMENT THEFT PREVENTION TECHNIQUES
• Examples of techniques used to prevent the
theft of heavy or farm equipment include:
–
–
–
–
McGraw-Hill
Security devices such as ignition locks
Do not leave keys in any equipment
Photograph all equipment
Leave equipment in well-lit areas
15-21© 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
MARINE THEFT
• Scope of the Problem
– Marine theft is a serious problem to the boating
community
– It includes the theft of boats, boat trailers, outboard
motors, jet skis, and all equipment associated with
boating or water activities
• Hull Identification
– Effective November 1, 1972, the Federal Boating
Safety Act of 1971 required boats to have a 12
character hull identification number
McGraw-Hill
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TITLE & REGISTRATION ISSUES RELATED TO MARINE THEFT
• Over 30 states require that boats be titled, but
only a few states require the titling of outboard
motors
– Many boats are exempt from titling due to length or
horsepower
– Many jurisdictions don’t have computerized
registration systems
– Registration files in only a few states can be
accessed using the National Law Enforcement
Telecommunication System
McGraw-Hill
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MARINE POLICE
• Marine theft is a serious problem and includes
stealing of:
–
–
–
–
boats
trailers
outboard motors
all equipment associated with boating
© Bonnie Kamin)
McGraw-Hill
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AIRCRAFT AND AVIONICS THEFT
• Scope of the problem:
– Not as prevalent as theft of motor vehicles.
– Theft of aircraft equipment if very lucrative
• Investigation Resources
– Investigators should contact airport management,
aircraft companies, etc. to learn about avionics
– Obtain as much information as possible before
conducting a major avionics investigation
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AIRCRAFT AND AVIONICS THEFT (cont'd)
• Aircraft Identification:
– Have same basic identification information as do
motor vehicles
– Have registration number similar to license plates
– Have a VIN
– Have a make and model
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15-25(b)
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