Mesa Police Department Auto Theft

Auto Theft Home

Myth #1
I lock my car doors, which is enough to protect my car from getting stolen.

Reality
Although locking your car doors is great common sense, that alone is not enough to protect your car from being stolen. The Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA) recommends a layered approach to protection as the most practical way to make your vehicle tough to steal.

Myth #2
No matter what steps I take, a car thief can easily steal my vehicle.

Reality
Vehicle theft is preventable! By taking a few extra precautions to secure your vehicle, you can make it more difficult for a thief to steal. Research shows that thieves are looking for easy targets with little or no risks of being detected. If your vehicle is secured with several layers of protection and at least one visible theft deterrent device, thieves will most likely target a different vehicle.

Myth #3
I'll only be away from my car a moment -- besides it's so hot; what will it hurt if I leave the car running while I run into the convenience store (or dry cleaners, or gas station)?

Reality
Vehicle theft is often a crime of opportunity! NEVER leave your vehicle running and unattended with the keys in the ignition, not even for a minute.

Myth #4
It doesn't matter if my car is stolen -- my insurance company fully covers me.

Reality
Although you may have insurance coverage on your car, you still probably have a deductible, which may or may not take away all of the pain of losing your vehicle. Many victims of theft end up with out-of-pocket expenses and unfortunately insurance cannot always cover for the inconvenience, the hassle of looking for a new vehicle and the feeling of being violated. In addition, the value of the stolen vehicle is often times less that the owner thought. One more point to consider -- your stolen vehicle may be used to commit other crimes and/or injure an innocent person.

Myth #5
Vehicle theft or insurance fraud is really just a "victimless" crime.

Reality
Criminals often steal vehicles in order to facilitate other crimes, such as armed robberies, kidnappings, drive-by-shootings, smuggling activities and so forth.

Billions of dollars are picked from American pockets each year by what many people consider a "victimless" crime. But it's costing the average Arizona family $300 a year in increased insurance premiums. Of that $300 amount, fraud is adding $180 to the average annual auto insurance premium. *

Myth #6
I drive an older vehicle; no one will want my old "junker."

Reality
Older model vehicles are frequently stolen because they generally lack effective anti-theft devices and are stripped for parts, which are resold for large profits.

Myth #7
I have an older car that's paid for; why should I maintain full coverage?

Reality
Arizona law requires mandatory liability coverage and if you drop the full coverage and your vehicle is stolen, you are out of the complete value of your vehicle. You will not have any insurance reimbursement to apply towards the purchase of a replacement vehicle.

Myth #8
Most cars are stolen by teenagers for "joyriding."

Reality
According to the 2002 Crime in Arizona Report, juveniles represented 13.5% of the total arrests for vehicle theft in our state. Once again, criminals often steal vehicles in order to facilitate other crimes. Professional auto thieves steal vehicles for economic benefit. Additionally, the International Intelligence community (INTERPOL) has identified vehicle theft and related criminal activity, including insurance fraud, as a primary illicit fundraising source supporting international terrorism.

* Source: Arizona Insurance Information Association (AIIA)

This information provided by the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority.