NCJ Number
78973
Date Published
1977
Length
67 pages
Annotation
Methods for stealing and reselling West German automobiles on the international automobile black market, as well as possibilities for combatting such illegal operations are outlined.
Abstract
Thieves may steal cars by using special equipment to open the cars by obtaining duplicate keys through some pretense, or by renting cars without ever returning them. Cars are then repainted, given new license plates and identification numbers, and shipped abroad. Illegal traffic may travel through Yugoslavian or Italian channels. France, Austria, and Sweden are popular centers for sale of stolen vehicles in Europe. Syria is the major center in the Middle East. Cars may be transported out of the country by normal shipping customs routes, by train, by special automobile transport companies, and by tourist car trains. They may also be driven out of the country or provided with special customs identification tags. The stolen car black market is aided by the lack of uniform international laws governing proof of autobile ownership and by a lack of thorough border checks. Auto smuggling control requires intensive border checks of cars being driven or shipped across borders, cooperation with INTERPOL and other countries, improved international information exchange, and immediate reporting of stolen vehicles with thorough descriptions of identification numbers. Prevention can be promoted by improved automobile security devices, measures to hinder production of duplicate keys, introduction of difficult-to-forge license tags, obstruction of registration paper thefts and forgeries, and central registry of wrecked cars. Control and prevention measures must be implemented in the political arena through legal initiatives of the legislature and the government. Graphs and sample export forms are supplied.