Curse of the car thieves

The Holden Commodore is one of the more popular choices for car thieves

Your stolen car could be burned, trashed or dumped. It could be chopped up for parts, or wind up on a slow boat across the Pacific.

But whatever happens, there's barely a one-in-five chance anyone will ever be charged with stealing it.

More than 36,000 vehicles were stolen in New Zealand last year - about one every 15 minutes - in a black industry that insurance companies say is costing the country at least $120 million a year.

Only 21.7 per cent (7849) of last year's cases were solved.

"It is pretty much never-ending," says Kelly Coll, one of two non-sworn police staff dealing with Auckland City car thefts.

She and her partner dealt with 359 cases in the city last month.

Auckland led the way for thefts last year; 5853 were reported. Counties/Manukau came a close second with 5558.

One police officer reckons most of Auckland City's thefts can be blamed on its southern neighbour.

"I would bet dollars to doughnuts that 80 per cent of those cars [stolen in Auckland] wind up in South Auckland," says Counties/Manukau scene-of-crime officer Mark Leys.

The central city has long been a happy hunting ground for South Auckland car thieves, who will take a train into the city but return home in someone else's vehicle, he says.

He is dubious about statistics that show overall car thefts falling, as there has been no decrease in the number of cars coming to his Wiri yard since he began the job in 2003.

"When I started in this job, I got 30,000 stickers to put on cars. I am just about out of them."

Thousands of cars pass through Mr Leys' warehouse every year, most of them stolen. Up to 40 stolen vehicles turn up each weekend.

"Monday morning is just a nightmare down here. It's like painting the harbour bridge; you are just never going to finish."

School holiday time generally means a 30 per cent increase in the number of cars stolen, he says.

"Kids pinch the cars and go for a joyride, then leave them. If the owner gets lucky, they won't trash them, or dump them."

Mr Leys says about 75 per cent of stolen cars are eventually recovered, though in varying states of repair.

About 10 per cent are undamaged. Another 10 per cent are found burned out, and 10 per cent more will be totally written off, he says.

But many vehicles are taken by semi-organised or professional thieves, stealing to order or targeting certain vehicles for parts.

Kelly Coll says those car rings usually operate in tight groups in which each member has a specific task.

Someone will steal the car, passing it on for others to "chop". Others specialise in altering the car's identity, or creating a new one, a practice known as "rebirthing".

The vehicles are then sold on the roadside, at car fairs or in trade magazines.

Some wind up with legitimate car dealers who have unwittingly taken a car thief on to their staff.

Veteran Auckland police car theft investigator Jeff Haynes says not only high-end vehicles are stolen to order.

Police recently stopped at the wharf a shipment of 12 "run of the mill" vehicles probably destined for the Pacific Islands. Their average price was "about $8000".

Insurance Council figures from 2003 put the total cost of car theft at $120 million a year, equal to more than a quarter of New Zealand's annual wine exports.

But Insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan believes that figure could be a little low.

"Those figures were conservative at the time - they would be extremely conservative now."

Luckily, it's getting harder to steal a good car nowadays, he says.

Among the advances are microdots containing the vehicle's details, GPS tracking and sophisticated alarm systems.

But regardless of technology, common sense must still be applied to car security, Mr Ryan says.

Ideally, any car should be parked off the street, preferably in a garage, and be fitted with alarm and immobiliser systems.

What thieves target

* Holden Commodore. Any SS, HSV or Monaro model post-1995.

* Subaru WRX post-1995.

* Mazda. All 323 Familias, especially turbo 4WDs post-1990.

* Subaru Legacy and Imprezza turbos, post-1993.

* Mitsubishi Lancer. Any Evolution models post-1993.


The stats

* One car is stolen every 15 minutes

* Cost estimated at $120 million-plus

* Thefts rise 30pc during school holidays