The Police Service is reporting a drop in the number of reported cases of stolen vehicles as for the period January 1 to July 31, 2016 there have been 364 cases when compared to 423 for the corresponding period last year.
Sgt Christopher Swamber, of the Stolen Vehicles Squad, said that represented a 14 per cent decrease. He was speaking yesterday at the weekly police press briefing at Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain.
In the case of robberies of motor vehicles there were 140 reported cases for January 1 to July 31 as opposed to 155 for the corresponding period for 2015, representing a 9.67 decrease, he added.
Nissan-made vehicles still remained the model of choice as out of the 364 vehicles reported stolen 180 were such type, representing almost 50 per cent of the total.
“The Nissan Tiida, B13 and B14 were the main vehicles of choice with reported cases of 57, 47 and 28 respectively,” Swamber said. He said there were 20 reported cases of Mitsubishi Lancers and 17 Toyota Corollas reported stolen.
“With regards to robberies of vehicles, 70 were Nissan, representing 50 per cent of all vehicles taken by robbery,” Swamber said, adding there were 19 such reported cases of the Tiida, Navarra 13 and Toyota Hilux 10.
But despite the reduction, Swamber said the Police Service remained concerned by those particular crimes and urged members of the public to take the necessary precautionary measures, such as installing tracking devices, club locks fitted across the steering wheel, kill switched and gas locks in their vehicles.
He also urged that markings be placed on the engine and chassis since those numbers were often rubbed off when vehicles were stolen
“Park you vehicles where proper CCTV cameras are installed. What we have noticed is that people are going by dealers and putting all sorts of devices. However, ensure you go by a reputable dealer.
“Put in your vehicle secret markings which you can identify very easily. Ensure the registration numbers are etched on each window of your vehicle and also the windshield rear and front,” Swamber said.
He said within recent times vehicles have been taken at gunpoint, adding that such vehicles come from the manufacturer with coded keys hence those types of keys could only work in those vehicles because they work in sync with the brain boxes of those vehicles.
“When that vehicle is taken it can be easily reregistered. The chassis and engine numbers are changed but if you have your markings... even though it is changed you can be assured you vehicle will be returned to you.
“We will also do a forensic check on your vehicle to ensure it is yours,” Swamber said.
He said that test would be done at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where it would be determined whether the firewall was changed.
Larceny and robbery of motor vehicle for January 1 to July 31, 201:
Division Larceny motor vehicle robbery of vehicles
PoS 52 4
Southern 56 36
Western 37 8
Northern 120 46
Central 41 30
South Western 10 5
Eastern 14 2
North Eastern 30 9
Tobago 4 0
Total 364 140