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To Catch a Thief
''More criminals are attracted to car theft because the value of vehicles is going up.'' Det. Steve Gardner, of Ottawa police''s organized-theft division: catch: Car theft is big business and it''s driving up insurance rates, but drivers can protect themselves
The Windsor Star
Paul Williams
5/23/2001
When car alarms were first introduced, a wailing car in the supermarket parking lot drew all kinds of attention. Now, when one goes off, people just talk louder.

Car alarms don''t seem to bother anyone, least of all car thieves. No matter what you drive or where you live, your vehicle is susceptible to theft.

Enterprise theft is when someone steals your vehicle for resale or parts. Late-model sport-utilities and luxury cars are the vehicles of choice for resale; vehicles three to eight years old are usually targeted for parts.

Opportunity theft is when a vehicle is stolen for joyriding, transportation, or the commission of some other crime.

These thieves aren''t too fussy about what they steal, as long as it runs.

In Ottawa, about 5,000 vehicles are stolen per year. Montreal and Vancouver are the hotspots for vehicle theft in Canada; the Atlantic provinces record the fewest incidents. Phoenix, Ariz., near the Mexican border, is the car theft capital of the United States.

Opportunity theft accounts for the majority of vehicle thefts in Canada: between 50 and 70 per cent, depending on your location. But at least you''re likely to get your vehicle back. With enterprise theft, you can usually kiss your car goodbye.

"More criminals are attracted to car theft because the value of vehicles is going up," says Det. Steve Gardner, of Ottawa police''s organized-theft division. "Even a basic late-model family car is in the $20,000 to $25,000 range. This means there''s more profit to be made."

Det. Gardner says that when caught with a stolen car, a first-time offender usually faces probation: "I personally think that sentences are too lenient. Offenders can expect a fine or probation, or probation plus fine. It''s not much of a deterrent."

The good guys do win sometimes, though.

Project Navigator, a police initiative begun in Ottawa two years ago, recently shut down an international, multimillion-dollar operation that was shipping vehicles out of the country or chopping them for parts.

And when you check the statistics, things don''t look so bad. At least, at first glance they don''t.

In 1999, vehicle theft fell for the fourth consecutive year, so counter-measures are having an impact. The problem is, each year fewer stolen vehicles are recovered.

The rising cost of car theft -- about $1 billion annually, according to Henning Norup, president of the Vehicle Information Centre of Canada (VICC) -- is a factor that affects everybody''s insurance rates.

So what''s a driver to do?

The VICC has identified five categories of anti-theft products currently available. Last year, it introduced a tough Canadian standard for auto theft deterrents and systems, called ULC-S338.

Of the five product categories, the VICC recommends one, but that doesn''t mean the others are entirely without merit:

¥ Vehicle marking schemes. This involves marking a unique identifier on parts to make the car traceable. This definitely deters thieves who plan to dismantle or resell the car, but it won''t bother opportunity thieves.

¥ Mechanical barriers on controls. These are items, such as the Club or Boot, that you attach to the car. They can work, but their problem is the vehicle owner has to set them every time the vehicle is parked. This becomes inconvenient, especially if you''re in and out of the car on a regular basis.

¥ Alarms. According to the VICC, these are essentially noisemakers, often ignored.

¥ Tracking systems. Products such as the Boomerang, available in Canada, use a signal-emitting transmitter hidden in the car. You pay a monthly fee for a company to monitor the signal. The system won''t prevent the car from being driven away in the first place, though.

¥ Immobilizers. These are electronic devices that arm automatically when a vehicle is shut down (called passive arming) and prevent the vehicle from being started by cutting vital circuits. To disarm the system, a special key or code is required.

It''s this last one, the vehicle immobilizer, that the VICC recommends. These are the systems you''ll typically find as original equipment on late-model cars. In the 2001 model year, 40 per cent of new cars sold feature VICC-approved immobilizers, with more being added regularly. Henning Norup says Volvo''s anti-theft system is the latest to receive VICC approval.

One of the key features of a VICC-approved immobilizer is that it cuts at least three primary circuits, such as the starter, ignition and fuel supply. It also has to meet stringent installation and technical standards.

Currently there are only two aftermarket immobilizers that are VICC-approved. These are the Calgary-based Magtec 6000 and the South African PFK Autowatch. For those without an immobilizer, or wanting to upgrade, one can be installed. Car insurers may give a discount if you do so.

But the market offers many deterrent systems in addition to the VICC-approved units that you may want to consider. Several are Canadian-made and all are designed to give some grief to the thief.

Vinguard is a do-it-yourself system to permanently etch your vehicle-identification number on glass, metal or plastic surfaces, including windows and mechanical parts.

At $30, it''s a low-cost method that makes your car less attractive to enterprise thieves. It''s unlikely to reduce opportunity theft, but it can''t hurt. (Order a kit online from vinguard.org, or from 1-888-846-4827.)

Keysense system

Ottawa-based Trilogix Electronic Systems develops, manufactures and markets a range of engine interrupt and immobilizer systems. The simplest is their Keysense system, at $45 plus installation. It works by disabling your ignition when you remove your key. A flashing LED lets the thief know protection is on board.

(Trilogix products are available online through their 12voltshop.com site, or call 1-877-212-8058 for a local dealer.)

The CAA offers a code-hopping anti-theft system for members and non-members. It is a single circuit, passively armed device that disables the starter, available for about $200 installed.

VCALL Systems Inc., another Ottawa-based company, launched its new VCALL monitored-vehicle alarm last month. The immobilizer disables two primary circuits, but it adds a unique wrinkle -- it integrates with your home alarm.

The VCALL system is first to market with a device that effectively makes your car another zone in your home or business alarm system. Given that you''re likely at home or at work for two-thirds of the day, this is a useful development.

The system can monitor up to four separate vehicles to a distance of 150 metres. It''s also portable and can operate as a stand-alone immobilizer, albeit unmonitored.

"We''re expecting that home alarm companies will offer the VCALL as part of their residential or commercial package and charge a few dollars a month for monitoring, just as they do with your home system," says vice-president Jody Lavoie.

Alternatively, you can buy the device for $499 installed and notify your alarm company that you have an additional zone -- your car. VCALL supports and is working toward ULC-S338 approval for its product. (You can find a retailer by visiting them online at vcallsystems.com .)

Calgary-based Magtec''s executive vice-president, Rob Whitfield, makes a bold claim for his VICC-approved immobilizer: "Out of 170,000 installations, there''s not one reported case of a successful theft by defeating the Magtec system. Many have tried, but none have succeeded."

The Magtec 6000 is not available over the counter and must be installed by accredited technicians. (Find a dealer near you by calling 1-888-624-8320, or go to their Web site at magtec3000.com.)

The system costs between $300 and $450 installed. It''s waterproof, hammerproof and runs on its own power supply.

Thief-proof? Maybe for the time being. But Whitfield is pragmatic. "You wouldn''t believe what''s on the Internet," he says. "I''m constantly blown away by what you can buy."

He''s talking about hacker sites. Whitfield knows that if electronics are used to arm an anti-theft system, then electronics can also defeat it.

But, like Whitfield, Trilogix president Derek Schumann also claims that no vehicles with his IMB-2000 system have been stolen either.

''Immobilizers work''

"There''s no doubt that immobilizers work," he says, "But really, I believe it''s the threat of the device that''s important. It can take hours to defeat an immobilizer, so why even try?"

What he''s suggesting is that even if your car has a rudimentary system with a flashing LED, car thieves are likely to leave it alone.

"Think about it," says Schumann, "It''s dark. You''ve broken into a car. Now you''re on your back, with your feet up and your head under the dash. You''re trying to sort out what kind of anti-theft device is there. All the wires are the same colour -- black. You''ve got a flashlight in your teeth. You need nerves of steel for this. So why bother? Why not just go to a car without a theft deterrent?"

He has a point. As more cars come from the factory with sophisticated immobilizers, thieves turn their attention to easier pickings. Best choice is the vehicle with no hint of anti-theft technology.

Then again, if they really want your car, they can simply tow it away, maybe jamming its distress signal as your pride-and-joy is hauled indelicately down the street.

Towing accounts for a small percentage of thefts, although these are likely the targets of organized gangs and less likely to be recovered.

For the rest, the VICC is offering advice based on solid research: If you need an effective theft deterrent, get an immobilizer. Make sure it''s passively armed and that it uses a special key or code to disarm it. A separate power supply for the unit is recommended. (You can see details of a VICC-approved system on their Web site at vicc.com, or get a free brochure by calling 1-800-761-6703.)

And if you get an immobilizer, make sure it''s got a flashing light.

BY THE NUMBERS

Cars stolen in Canada

1997: 177,203 1998: 165,799 1999: 161,405

Stolen cars recovered in Canada

1997: 134,674 1998: 113,361 1999: n/a

(In the mid-1960s, two per cent of cars were not recovered; 27 per cent of cars were estimated not recovered in 1999).

-Province with the highest number of thefts per 100 cars: B.C., 3.5.

-Lowest number of thefts per 100 cars: Atlantic provinces: 0.5.

-Highest number of cars unrecovered: Montreal, 48 per cent.

-Most frequently stolen: Hyundai Tiburon.

-Least frequently stolen: Buick Park Avenue.

Windsor connection

Just like gasoline prices, automobile thefts in Windsor continue to rise. Windsor Police figures as current as last week show that so far this year 445 cars have been stolen, compared to 307 for the same period last year.

-- Source: Vehicle Information Centre of Canada, Insurance Bureau of Canada
Boomerang Tracking Inc. markets and distributes the Boomerang® tracking devices, proprietary products using technology patented by the Company. The Boomerang, Boomerang2™ and GSM-based units are the central devices in a system that uses the wireless networks of major regional telecommunications companies for tracking stolen assets. The Boomerang Tracking System is capable of locating stolen automobiles, heavy equipment and valuable assets. As a result of its success, the Company has received the endorsement of members of the insurance industry. The Boomerang devices are available and installed through a network of authorized dealers in Quebec and Ontario. The Company's head office, research and development centre and manufacturing facilities are located in Montreal, Quebec, with regional facilities located in Mississauga, Ontario and Orange County, California. Boomerang is a registered trademark and Boomerang2 is a trademark of Boomerang Tracking Inc. The shares of Boomerang Tracking Inc. trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BMG.