The Auto Theft Program is part of the Criminal Investigation Division, and consists of detectives in the major metropolitan areas of Washington State. The program was established with the formation of the division in 1982. Auto theft detectives conduct investigations into all vehicle theft and related crimes. This program was enhanced in 1999 with the assignment and training of auto theft detectives in Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Yakima, Marysville, and Spokane.

Since that time, the Auto Theft program has become involved in several high-profile cases, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of stolen property recoveries, and has worked in multi-agency task force settings for state and federal criminal investigations. The goal of the current Auto Theft program is to reduce the incidence of vehicle theft and increase the apprehension of the professional vehicle thief.

The Problem

The incidence of auto theft continues to increase in Washington State though most other crimes are decreasing in frequency. More vehicles have been stolen during the year 2000 than any other year in Washington State history. While national trends indicate a reduction in the motor vehicle theft rate, that trend does not apply to Washington State. The Criminal Investigation Division is addressing this problem and searching for the best solution.

When compared to the national statistics, the numbers for Washington State indicate an opposite trend. While the national rate decreased over several years to 421 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1999, Washington State statistics indicate that the state's theft rate has grown to 552 per 100,000 inhabitants. Washington State's vehicle theft rate is now higher than the California rate.

In Washington State, over 80 percent of all auto theft occurs in the counties surrounding Puget Sound. The heavily populated areas of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties consistently account for over 70 percent of the total number of stolen vehicles in the state. The areas around Yakima, Spokane, and Vancouver account for about 5 percent each of the total number.

In Washington State.....

• Never leave your keys in your car... Don't make it easy to steal!
• Never hide a second key on the car.
• Lock your car.
• Park in a well-lighted area.
• Don't leave valuables in plain sight.
• Use anti-theft devices like car alarms, locking bars, and kill switches.
• Never leave the motor running while running a quick errand.
• Completely close car windows.