With construction cramping parking on campus, student drivers have turned to parking in areas neighboring the University, a move exposing them to all the problems of 2008’s Oregon car theft capital: Eugene.
In 2008, Eugene ranked 40th nationwide for car theft per capita, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Even in the new year, the problem persists, said Terry Smith, Eugene Police Department service improvement analyst. He said a total of 1,329 vehicles were stolen during 2008, more than double the number stolen during 2001. Car theft rates in Eugene first began skyrocketing in 2005, Smith said, and have remained high ever since.
“One reason the number may have jumped is that there are a number of Japanese-made automobiles from the ’90s that have locks which have worn down,” Smith said. “A thief can then use a shaved key and gain access to the vehicle.”
To prevent a vehicle from being stolen, students can use a steering wheel lock or club to secure their vehicle, said Jack Claman of Sun Automotive auto body shop on Agate Street.
Top 10 most commonly stolen vehicles in Oregon
1. | Toyota Camry 1990 |
2. | Honda Accord 1990 |
3. | Honda Civic 1991 |
4. | Toyota pickup 1986 |
5. | Acura Integra 1995 |
6. | Toyota 4Runner 1987 |
7. | Nissan Sentra 1994 |
8. | Ford Escort 1991 |
9. | Toyota Corolla 1987 |
10. | Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee 1993 |
“Thieves could still steal the vehicle by cutting off the steering wheel column, but you’re adding time they don’t have,” Claman said. “They’re going to move on to another vehicle if it looks like it’s going to take too long to break into yours.”
Sun Automotive serviced three vehicles with damage from break-ins and thefts during January, Claman said. At his shop, Claman said repairs to fix broken windows range from $140 to $500, while a catalytic converter, which Claman said thieves steal for various metal components, costs anywhere from $500 to $2,000 to replace.
The thieves who are targeting vehicles in Eugene are both experienced and not afraid of committing the crime, Smith said. A recurring pattern involves a thief stealing one vehicle, taking it to a more hidden location, removing all valuable contents, ditching the vehicle and then stealing another located in the same general area.
“If you look at a map of where vehicles are reported stolen and then another map of where stolen vehicles are often recovered, they’re basically the same,” he said. “Sometimes car thieves will steal another vehicle from the same parking lot or neighborhood as where they left behind the first vehicle they stole.”
Though EPD has a 90 percent rate of recovering stolen vehicles, car theft remains a problem because of a lack of police officers, EPD Sergeant Sam Kamkar said. Kamkar, who is stationed on campus, said there simply are not enough DPS or EPD officers to adequately respond to the problem. Recovering vehicles poses less of a challenge because Eugene is a hotspot for the trafficking of vehicle parts, but not for the removal of vehicles to be sold outside the state, Smith said.
The number of auto thieves arrested and convicted has remained the same for more than a decade while the number of thefts has skyrocketed, a fact Smith said proves that without more officers, there simply aren’t enough people for law enforcement agencies to better handle the problem.
“We’re at capacity,” Smith said. “The district attorney and EPD don’t have enough resources to fully address car theft. Criminals, however, have yet to reach their capacity to steal vehicles.”
[email protected]