Incidents lowest since 1978, police say.
By: Lea Kahn
Fewer than 100 cars were reported stolen in Lawrence Township last year the lowest number of car thefts since 1978, when 94 cars were reported stolen, according to Lawrence Township Police Department records.
There were 99 reports of stolen cars in 2002, Chief of Police Daniel Posluszny said. This compares to 185 cars reported stolen in 2001, and 208 cars reported stolen in 2000.
"Any time crime goes down, I am very pleased," Chief Posluszny said. "For most people, the car is their second most important investment after a house. People depend on their cars and it is an inconvenience (if it is stolen)."
Lawrence Township was hard hit by car thieves in the early 1990s. The number of stolen cars reached 618 in 1991, most of them taken from along the Route 1 corridor, according to Police Department records. That number dropped steadily throughout the 1990s, until it reached its previous low point of 182 in 1997.
Most car thefts today have occurred in residential areas, Chief Posluszny said. Thieves have moved from commercial areas, such as shopping malls, to the residential neighborhoods because of increased surveillance at the malls. The Quaker Bridge Mall’s security guards patrol the parking lot, for example.
Active enforcement accounts for the decline in motor vehicle thefts, Chief Posluszny said. People are more aware of their surroundings and they report suspicious activity, he said.
Chief Posluszny attributed the drop in car thefts to a combination of tougher laws, the installation of anti-theft devices by the car manufacturers and by consumers, and more pro-active policing. Those factors are all "intertwined" and have led to the decline in car thefts, he said.
State lawmakers tightened up on penalties for juveniles who are involved in the crime, the police chief said. Many juveniles stole cars to go for a joy-ride, but it got out of hand and that is why the penalties have changed, he said.
For example, juveniles who were arrested in connection with a car theft would have been released to a parent or guardian, he said. But under new laws, juveniles are sent to a youth detention center. This guarantees their presence in court and it ensures that a parent or guardian is in court, he said.
Juveniles who are under 17 years old when they are convicted of motor vehicle theft also may have their driving privileges suspended, he said. For the first offense, the suspension is for one year. It is two years for the second offense and 10 years for the third offense. The suspension begins on the day after the juvenile turns 17.
Also, automobile manufacturers have built in safeguards to prevent cars from being stolen, Chief Posluszny said. The more expensive cars have a "kill" switch built into the car, which does not allow it to be started without a key. In addition, some motorists have installed a locking device on the steering wheel.
And the police are more aware of the problem of car theft, Chief Posluszny said. They know which neighborhoods are being targeted and they act accordingly, he said.
In fact, police made some arrests last year, the chief said. Police charged four juveniles with auto theft and eight with receiving stolen property, which means they were found in a car that had been reported stolen. Seven adults were charged with auto theft and 17 were charged with receiving stolen property.

