Mass. Vehicle Thefts Down 90% From Peak in 1975, Report Shows

Article

From its peak auto theft year in 1975 when 91,563 vehicles were stolen, Massachusetts has experienced a significant decline ending 2013 with 9,122 thefts. That’s a reduction of 90 percent since 1975, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Massachusetts had dramatic increases in vehicle thefts beginning in 1960 and continuing through 1975 when they reached their peak. A declining trend started in 1976 and thefts have decreased just as dramatically before leveling off in the mid-1980s, NICB said.

In 1994 another downward trend began that continued through 2013. Like other states, Massachusetts authorities employed some innovative law enforcement programs, among them the use of bait cars and license plate readers, according to NICB.

Not only is law enforcement exploiting technology but auto manufacturers have been outfitting vehicles with more and more theft prevention products—from smart keys to immobilizers to tracking systems. So vehicles today are much harder to steal and that is good news for everyone who owns a vehicle, NICB said.

Source: The National Insurance Crime Bureau