Search Result: Grand Theft Auto

In Officer Dana Binion's tenure, the West L.A. Surveillance Detail made more than 700 felony arrests, with a 99 percent conviction rate, and more than 100 misdemeanor arrests.

There are many motivations for stealing cars. Some are taken by kids for so-called “joyrides.” Others are shipped to foreign countries and resold or chopped into parts. And more and more often, stolen cars are used to facilitate other crimes, including burglaries, robberies, assaults, and the transportation of narcotics and smuggled immigrants.

As the mercury begins to rise, so does the crime rate nationwide. Auto theft is certainly among those warm-weather crimes of opportunity, and one that routinely spikes around this time of year. One of the easiest auto theft techniqes to detect is the use of shaved keys.

Indeed, when it comes to curbing vehicle theft in Tucson—a city with one of the highest per-capita auto theft rates in the nation—the battle is often waged on uncertain ground. Being located just 40 minutes from the notoriously permeable U.S.-Mexico border doesn’t help matters, either.