NCJ Number
90204
Date Published
1983
Length
53 pages
Annotation
Recommendations to counter auto theft in Rhode Island include new or revised statutes and regulations; the repealing of statutes no longer having validity; community crime prevention; and the expanding of inspection programs covering motor vehicles for purposes of insuring, titling, registering, salvaging, and disposing.
Abstract
A discussion of auto theft in Rhode Island includes statistical information about the magnitude and nature of the problem and the success of the criminal justice system in controlling it. It also includes descriptions of the various problems and schemes associated with auto theft. The recommendations address the problems identified. Some of the schemes and problems noted include the 'salvage switch,' which involves the purchasing of a wrecked vehicle whose vehicle identification number is transferred to a stolen vehicle of the same description; insurance fraud; lack of vehicle identification numbers on all major vehicle components; the unlicensed selling of vehicles; and 'chop shops,' which specialize in removing parts from stolen vehicles to be resold at a large profit. Recommendations are summarized under actions that require legislative and nonlegislative efforts. The rationale for each recommendation is explained under the Commission's subcommittee responsibilities of registration and titling, insurance, crime prevention and public education, and law enforcement. Problems unresolved by the Commission are noted to be the bringing in of salvage vehicles from other States, the disposal of wrecked vehicles by rental car companies, vehicles stolen in Rhode Island and sold out of State, and private towing firms' inability to dispose of abandoned vehicles without vehicle identification numbers. Tabular data are provided.