2,000 vehicles stolen this year in Snohomish County
Published 12:04 am Monday, September 29, 2008
A new team of police from around the county has one goal: Put people who steal cars for a living out of business.
“If you’re an auto thief in Snohomish County, you might want to consider a change in work or a change in location,” Washington State Patrol Sgt. E.J. Swainson said. “We’re coming for them and we’re going to make their lives miserable.”
Nearly 2,000 cars were stolen in the county through August, Swainson said. That’s a pace of nearly 250 stolen cars a month.
It’s a total loss of more than $15 million, he said.
“We’re going to be working to drive that number down,” the sergeant said.
Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick worked with police chiefs throughout the county to form the Snohomish County Auto Theft task force.
The group will be funded with money Lovick helped win during his time in Olympia as a state legislator.
When Lovick met with his constituents, the problem of stolen cars was on nearly everyone’s mind, Lovick said.
“They would ask, ‘What are you going to do about auto theft?’” the sheriff said.
The sheriff said he’s had his own cars stolen twice.
Last year he helped pass tougher laws that stiffened penalties for people convicted of stealing vehicles.
The law also grabbed $10 from every traffic ticket to help fund auto theft prevention.
The Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority was formed to dole out the money around the state. More than $4.4 million was given out in June.
Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed 10 people, a combination of law enforcement officials, prosecutors and insurance industry executives, to run the authority. Lovick is one of two county sheriffs to sit on the advisory panel.
Lovick secured $830,000 for Snohomish County this year. That money will help pay the task force’s salaries and buy cutting-edge technology to nab bad guys in action.
The county task force is made up of detectives from the sheriff’s office, Monroe, Lynnwood and Marysville police and the State Patrol. An Everett police analyst will help and the Snohomish County prosecutor’s office will dedicate someone to track auto thieves through the legal system.
“We’re going to treat it like the terrible crime that it is,” Lovick said.
Police won’t reveal the arsenal of tools they plan to use, but unlike patrol officers, this team will have the flexibility and time to collect a wealth of evidence against auto thieves, Swainson said.
“We’re going to be on them like a tick,” he said.
Officials also will focus on education, teaching people to use common sense and simple tools to keep thieves at bay.
Leaving valuables in plain view or keeping the keys in the car are invitations for problems, said Grant Clark, a spokesman for the state Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
Car thieves watch for people to make these kinds of mistakes, then swoop in and drive off.
“It only takes a second,” Clark said.
Auto thieves include petty crooks looking for a quick ride across town and organized crime rings, Swainson said.
The State Patrol sergeant, who’s been investigating auto theft around the state since 2000, said he’s excited to get the Snohomish County team into action and start going after the thieves.
“We’re going to make them pay. We’re going to make them stop,” he said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
Tips for car owners
Many auto thefts can be prevented if owners use common sense and some simple tools. Here are a few tips from experts:
Take your keys out of your car and carry them with you. One in five stolen cars had the key in it. Never leave the car running unattended.
Lock the doors when you park. Almost half of stolen cars were left unlocked.
Hide valuables. Keep valuable items out of sight. They can tempt a thief to break in.
Park smart. Use a garage, if possible. If not, park in well-lighted areas.
Use alarms. Activate your car’s alarm or use steering-wheel locks such as the Club.
For more information, go to http://watpa.waspc.org and click on “tips.”
Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority
