Tulare’s T-RATT Program Cuts Auto Crimes

By Aaron Collins

California has long been considered America’s capital of car culture, but along with that claim to fame comes a high rate of auto theft. According to 2009 statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, six of the top ten “hot spots” for auto theft in the United States are in California, and of those six regions, five are in the Central Valley: Modesto (ranked No. 2), Bakersfield (No. 3), Stockton (No. 4), Fresno (No. 5), and Visalia-Porterville (No. 8).

That these areas share a high rate of auto theft is not surprising: Our region’s socio-cultural DNA ensures that our counties’ crime problems are somewhat uniform in nature.

According to Tulare County Assistant District Attorney Shani Jenkins of the agency’s Criminal Division, the Valley’s auto theft rate is attributable to high poverty, drug culture and gang problems—“a perfect storm,” as she described it. The problem is significant enough that the DA’s office has dedicated one prosecutor, Jamil Nushwat, exclusively to the task of prosecuting auto thievery.

While Jenkins said the number of convictions for auto theft in Tulare County remains steady at around 300 per year, perhaps the best recent news is that our region is following a national trend: In May, the NICB reported that 2009 marked the sixth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts in the United States, including our region.

Locally, the car most often targeted is the Honda Accord, a perennial favorite among thieves owing in part to the car’s ubiquity, which, in turn, drives a demand for chop shoppers’ hot parts. Other frequent targets are GMC pickups and SUVs; local tastes in vehicles and trends in customization mean these are often stolen for the expensive wheel rims found on them, Jenkins said.

But even though the overall numbers may be improving, so are criminals’ methods. Cars stolen in one city are discarded in the unincorporated areas of the county or sometimes sent to another region for disassembly and reconfiguration with a new identity.

From Joy Riders to Chop Shops

Fighting our auto-theft problem in the South Valley has required increased specialization as thieves have evolved over the years from simple joy riders to more sophisticated networks of lucrative chop shops. Because these elaborate clandestine operations often span several jurisdictions, law enforcement agencies must coordinate increasingly complex efforts for deterrence and prosecution.

According to Jenkins, inter-agency cooperation has always been required, but new shifts in fighting this crime category are more proactive, rather than reactive. Rather than waiting for a crime to happen, Jenkins said, law enforcement personnel are in daily contact, sharing information and identifying trends and developments in order to alert one another to potential criminal activity.

That multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional approach is known as T-RATT (Tulare County Regional Auto Theft Team). Its concept is based on similar law enforcement programs elsewhere, such as LA TRAP and Orange County’s OCATT. Launched in April 2008, the local effort draws on personnel from the California Highway Patrol, Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, and police departments in cities around the county, including Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, and Woodlake. The group’s leader is Visalia-based Sergeant Chuck Mosley of the CHP.

T-RATT’s Efforts Pay Off in Fewer Thefts

“[Our mission is] to reduce the rate of auto theft in Tulare County. Our scope is Tulare County; however, we operate outside of the county if a nexus to Tulare County is established,” Mosley said. Prior to the initiative, Tulare County had been rated as high as third in the nation for per capita auto thefts. Mosley said that since the inception of the region-wide effort, Tulare County has seen a 27% reduction in grand theft for automobiles, according to the latest NICB statistics.

The NICB is a nonprofit organization that receives support from approximately 1,000 property/casualty insurance companies. It partners with insurers and law enforcement agencies to facilitate the identification, detection and prosecution of insurance criminals. “This is great news on the vehicle theft front,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle in a press release about the May report. “Six straight years of vehicle theft reductions are the result of a lot of hard work on the part of law enforcement, prosecutors, legislators, NICB member companies, NICB personnel and insurance industry trade groups who have contributed expertise and energy to have an impact on this crime.”

Nevertheless, T-RATT’s law enforcement personnel still face a daunting task: A total of 2,440 auto thefts were reported in Tulare County in 2009.

Mosley said T-RATT has many tactics and tools in its bag of tricks: surveillance, bait vehicles, parole and probation compliance searches, use of informants, saturation patrols, public assistance, and joint multi-agency operations.  “Couple that with the ability and skill of the assigned investigators,” he added, “and you have a true model for success.”

Since the program’s inception, Mosley said, the team has recovered 626 stolen vehicles, arrested or charged 470 individuals for vehicle theft, effected 283 other arrests, and investigated 54 chop shops in the area.

SIDEBAR:

The National Insurance Crime Bureau advises the following layered approach to vehicle theft protection:

Common sense. Common sense is the simplest and most cost-effective way to defeat would-be criminals. Secure your vehicle even when parking for brief periods. You should always:

•  Remove your keys from the ignition

•  Lock your doors /close your windows

•  Park in a well-lit area

Warning device. The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device that alerts thieves your vehicle is protected. Popular examples include:

•  Audible alarms

•  Steering column collars

•  Steering wheel/brake pedal lock

•  Brake locks

•  Wheel locks

•  Tire locks/tire deflators

•  Theft deterrent decals

•  Identification markers in or on vehicle

•  VIN etching

•  Microdot marking

Immobilizing device. The third layer of protection is a device that prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Popular examples include:

•  Smart keys

•  Fuse cut-offs

•  Kill switches

•  Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers

•  Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking device. The final layer of protection is a tracking device that emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ telematics that combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer. Discounts are available to the public for a select group of theft deterrent and recovery devices through the NICB website.

Anyone with information concerning vehicle theft and insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), or by visiting the NICB website at www.nicb.org. You may also text your information to TIP411, keyword FRAUD, and remain anonymous if you prefer.

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