Dumped car theft foil gets backing of police, insurers

Subaru has been data-dotting all new vehicles sold in New Zealand since 2004. Photo / Supplied

Frontline police, insurance companies and car manufacturers support a scheme described as the "best crime fighting tool" against professional car thieves that has been dumped by the National Government.

The Weekend Herald last week reported that insurance claims top $100 million each year and more than 6500 stolen cars are never found, providing huge profits for gangs who steal the cars to order for parts or "rebirth" into apparently legitimate vehicles.

Now, senior police officers have criticised Transport Minister Steven Joyce who dumped a plan by the previous Labour Government to introduce a compulsory system identifying parts in all imported cars.

Known as Whole Of Vehicle Marking, the technology makes it easier to identify stolen cars and parts by applying thousands of microdots with a unique 17-digit code to various locations hidden on the car.

With up to 10,000 microdots, the WOVM technology makes it difficult for professional thieves to alter the identity of a car, whether dismantled for parts or still intact.

Several senior detectives across the country told the Weekend Herald that micro-dotting would have been "the best crime-fighting tool we have ever had against auto-theft".

One of the arguments for scrapping mandatory WOVM for all imported cars - at a cost of $88 - is that many new cars are fitted with immobilising technology, which prevents a car from running unless the correct key is used.

While immobilisers deter opportunistic car thieves, the officers said only WOVM would stop crime syndicates looking to steal high-end, expensive models to order.

"Professional burglars are not stupid," said one detective. "If they can't overcome the immobiliser - which most can - they will break into your house and steal the keys while you sleep."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the only way to stop organised crime from stealing cars was to "take the profit away".

"Car theft is big business. But the profits will drop quickly if crims can't steal cars for parts or rebirthing because they are covered with these markings."

Mr O'Connor said that over his long police career, car theft had never received the attention it deserved from police, which he described as "frustrating".

Complicated and time consuming, he said vehicle-theft investigations would have become much easier if mandatory WOVM had been introduced.

"If you're a criminal, you'd be mad not to get involved in car knocking. Because it doesn't get the attention. Unfortunately, unless this becomes politicised - which it won't because most people are insured - it will be ignored."

Subaru has been data-dotting all new vehicles sold in New Zealand since 2004. Out of a total of 11,258 Subaru cars stolen in the past five years, only 30 had dots.

"If the Government is truly interested in reducing vehicle theft then WOVM will go a long way to solving this problem," said Subaru spokesman Peter Douglas-Bell.

The Weekend Herald has obtained a letter written by a senior IAG manager in 2006, which said the insurance giant had seen a reduction in theft rates on cars covered with microdots.

"We believe a mandatory WOVM policy will significantly reduce vehicle theft in New Zealand, thereby reducing insurance claims and payments, which in turn reduce vehicle insurance premiums as is being experienced within Australia,"said Karl Armstrong, head of IAG underwriting and risk management.

In May 2007, the then Police Minister Annette King said the scheme would speed up police inquiries into vehicle theft and provide stronger evidence in court cases.

"It will also disrupt organised crime networks as the sale of stolen vehicles and their parts are a major way of funding such networks."

She believed the ID system would deter professional thieves and buyers, lowering the number of cars stolen each year.

But the National Government decided to pull out of the plans, saying the potential benefits to the scheme would be "significantly outweighed" by the cost to motorists - without supplying figures to back that up.

"The Government is very mindful of imposing additional costs on consumers in these tough economic times," Mr Joyce said in a statement in May 2009.

The Weekend Herald has obtained a briefing paper written for the Transport Ministry.

It says most new vehicles are fitted with immobilisers, so fewer cars should be stolen.

"However, no such trend is observed. One possible reason for this unexpected lack of trend could be a shift towards older vehicle theft."

DOTS A SUBARU SUCCESS STORY

Only 38 Subaru cars fitted with microdots have been stolen in the past five years - a fraction of the 11,258 Subarus stolen.

Subaru spokesman Peter Douglas-Bell said the car manufacturer introduced datadot whole-of-vehicle marking on all new vehicles sold to New Zealand in 2004.

Mr Douglas-Bell said not all imported cars were fitted with immobiliser technology, as new cars sold in New Zealand were.

"The combination of WOVM and advanced engine immobiliser technology has been highly effective at cutting vehicle theft to practically zero."