Forget mining, be a car thief instead

[Franco Cozzo]

If you had a $200-million-plus crime spree going on all around you, and the cops were doing essentially nothing, would you be outraged? Most people I know would be at least upset.

Better cue the upset-verging-on-outrage, then, because this is exactly what’s happening – at least in NSW.

Above: Car theft in NSW – a $200+ million industry

However much we might like to believe in fairness, the successful prosecution of thieves just isn’t happening – at least not on the road.

News Limited reported last weekend that in NSW alone, car thieves have an incredible 93 per cent chance of getting away with it. Apparently, 20,256 car thefts were reported in NSW last year. Of those, 1444 charges were laid – a paltry seven per cent of the total.

Actually the chances of getting away with it are even higher. If only seven per cent are charged, fewer than seven per cent would be successfully prosecuted…

If each of those cars stolen is worth just an average of $10,000 apiece, then you’re looking at a $200 million problem.

Above: Only seven per cent of NSW car thieves actually get charged

(Those breaking into homes, shops and offices were even slightly better off – just 6.5 per cent of the 58,261 reported B&Es last year resulted in charges. And, apparently, half of the fraudsters are getting away with it.)

The NSW cops say they are massively understaffed. Officially, the NSW Police Force claims it investigates every crime. However, it’s clearly giving motor vehicle theft the ‘once over lightly’ treatment. Correction: the ‘can’t be bothered’ treatment.

NSW Police Association president Scott Weber told News Limited that the cops were 500 down on their gazetted strength, a fact endorsed by the state’s Auditor General.

Above: not something a car thief generally experiences in NSW – sadly

It does seem somewhat galling, doesn’t it? Considering the resources marshalled against you as a driver, the fines, the tolls, the zero tolerance and the road infrastructure groaning under the weight of the cars it is expected to carry, it would seem only fair that is someone nicks your car, some official resources were brought to bear.

We are all paying for those unsolved thefts, every time we incur an insurance premium it’s factored in. If you think it’s the insurance companies copping the cost, think again – ultimately we all pay.

Above: Say hello to your car’s new owner

As things stand, the authorities can just about spot you from space if you’re just a few kays over the limit, and an armada of council rangers is marshalled against you, should you overstay your welcome at a parking meter by just a couple of minutes. But if some mongrel nicks your car, you better hope your insurance is up to date because, basically, you’re on your own.

Considering the contribution to the state’s (and Federal) coffers made by drivers, wouldn’t it be a fairer deal if a serious attempt were made to apprehend the people out there actually stealing cars? Wouldn’t it be a deterrent if more thieves were actually apprehended? I mean, if you thought you were actually going to get caught, wouldn’t you be somewhat less inclined to involve yourself in the car theft game?

Above: NSW Police Force guidelines on dealing with car thieves

As things stand, a 93 per cent chance of getting away with it is tantamount to giving the overwhelming majority of car thieves a ‘get out of jail free’ card. These are the kind of odds you can bet against. As things stand you’d have to be either dead stupid or dead unlucky to steal a car in NSW and actually get caught.

What do you think should be done?

http://www.caradvice.com.au/132758/n...ail-free-card/

Thats fairly appalling, what are your opinions on the matter? Please refrain from cop bashing. You'd think they would allocate their limited resources a little better.

[In Focus]

Sometimes I think a different approach is needed. The cops are fighting a losing battle, because they are trying to do more with less, against criminals who are doing more with more.

How about something radical. What if insurance companies "sponsored" a cop. They could put some of the money they spend on their own investigations into effectively putting cops on the street. There would need to be guarantees that the cop was autonomous and not controlled by the insurance company, but he/she could be dedicated to investigating insurance-related crimes.

I dunno. Dumb idea probably.

[el_wagon]

Government wants money. People that own a car can afford to pay their parking tickets. Car thieves don't have money, therefore the government can't get money out of them.

[XRGhia]

God love Hate NSW....


It doesn't surprise me though, because when some homeless youth's tried to knock the EF Wagon off and say to the police "they wanted it for money", you know they're getting desperate...

It's rather stupid, but all that stopped them from knocking my EF Wagon off from the RTA Carpark at Redfern, was the Channel7 Studio Security Guard noticing some teens throwing rocks at the P/S front window....

Clearly they didn't care about the boom gates, security guards or camera's that surrounded the place........

[Road_Warrior]

Its not just NSW, it's all over Australia.

See this is the thing: every year less and less people step up to the blue line to be Police officers. Compounding that of course is a higher exit rate from Police Forces than was traditionally. Suddenly, you have less people to do more work.

Concurrent with the increase in 'petty' crimes such as car theft, are crimes against the person, in particular violent offences like stabbings, shootings, bashings, glassings, one-punch-kill events, and other equally obnoxious criminal acts. I think the community has made it quite clear that these sorts of offences take priority over everything else and henceforth it is no surprise that the Police prioritise these over car stealing.

That said, if a car of mine was stolen, I would expect the Police to do everything in their power to recover it and make the thief accountable. It is what we pay our taxes for after all.

[gz1]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Its not just NSW, it's all over Australia.

See this is the thing: every year less and less people step up to the blue line to be Police officers. Compounding that of course is a higher exit rate from Police Forces than was traditionally. Suddenly, you have less people to do more work.

Yes this is very true, and really I can't blame them for leaving, the police that is.
You see they are getting tired of being slapped in the face every time they bring a crook in before a magistrate.
They are tired of thugs being let off and a judge ruling that is perfectly acceptable and ok to call a cop an f**ing c***t (sorry swear filter, just trying to quote here).
They are tired of putting in long hard hours to apprehend someone for them to be immediately released without so much as a slap on the wrist.
And they are tired of having their arms tied behind them and having the automatic assumption that they (the police) have done something criminal unless they can prove otherwise, like the case of Carnita Matthews last year.

It's no wonder that the police turn to something like spotting a bald tire at 1000 meters, and issuing a speeding ticket for 0.005km over the limit.
It's the only things they *can* do and not get slapped down for it.

edit: forgot to add, It's the judiciary you should be blaming not the police.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

That said, if a car of mine was stolen, I would expect the Police to do everything in their power to recover it and make the thief accountable. It is what we pay our taxes for after all.

Its up to the magistrate/ judge to make a criminal accountable... not Police.
Sadly the judicial system lets us all down continually.
Not the cops fault.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Its not just NSW, it's all over Australia.

See this is the thing: every year less and less people step up to the blue line to be Police officers. Compounding that of course is a higher exit rate from Police Forces than was traditionally. Suddenly, you have less people to do more work.

Concurrent with the increase in 'petty' crimes such as car theft, are crimes against the person, in particular violent offences like stabbings, shootings, bashings, glassings, one-punch-kill events, and other equally obnoxious criminal acts. I think the community has made it quite clear that these sorts of offences take priority over everything else and henceforth it is no surprise that the Police prioritise these over car stealing.

That said, if a car of mine was stolen, I would expect the Police to do everything in their power to recover it and make the thief accountable. It is what we pay our taxes for after all.

Why is it that so much more effort and time is being put into policing driving offences than violent offences like stabbings, shootings, bashings, classings, once-punch-kill events, etc.. Has the community made it clear that traffic offences take priority over everything else and Police prioritise these over crimes against the person and petty crimes?

[StrikeTwiceXR6]

If I drove around with bald tyres, I would be pulled over within a heartbeat with my face appearing on the tv show, Highway Patrol. But if I was pulled over in a stolen car filmed by the same tv show, my face would be blurred out and at the end of the show the viewers would be informed that I didn't turn up to court and i'm on the run!
The Police pull over a truckload of cars every year and make the government a lot of money in collecting fines. They could spot a bald tyre over 100 metres away, as for solving car theft crimes?

[geckoGT]

I see nothing positive coming out of this thread. I am also sure the people that truly know the reasons will not post. If I am wrong and some cops or magistrates would like to comment, PM me and I will reopen.