Oahu’s auto thefts declining

Police think drug users who now are locked up were committing most of the thefts

Auto-theft statistics on Oahu in 2007 are headed for a big decline compared with 2006, according to a veteran police officer.

In 2006, police opened 6,289 auto-theft cases. The bulk of cases last year, those reported on weekdays to Honolulu police, came to 3,296, a review shows.

Lt. James Strickland, head of the Police Department's auto-theft detail, said night and weekend cases have yet to be compiled. Still, he calls the downward trend significant.

The revised figure would be only 10 percent to 15 percent higher once all cases are factored, he said.

Police say they believe people who use drugs are responsible for many property crimes, and suspects convicted for drugs are being put away.

"Property crimes don't generate a lot of hard time," said Strickland. "When somebody goes to court on a drug charge, people do time for that."

Auto thefts peaked in 2002, with 8,488 cases. It was a 52 percent spike from the year before, and saddled Hawaii with the third-worst property crime rate in the nation, according to the FBI.

Since then, auto-theft figures have steadily dropped.

FULL STORY »

Auto-theft cases on Oahu are heading for a dramatic decline in 2007, hitting an eight-year low, a veteran police investigator says.

There were 6,289 auto-theft cases reported to Honolulu police in 2006.

A preliminary review finds that 3,296 auto-theft cases were opened in 2007 by Honolulu police working weekdays. Of that figure, about 100 were either unfounded, or the reporting complainants withdrew the case.

Police are still working to compile reports from the night and weekend shifts. But Lt. James Strickland, head of the Honolulu Police Department's auto-theft detail, said that should bring the 2007 number up by only 10 percent to 15 percent.

The bulk of the reports, he said, shows a downward trend that is significant.

Although detectives don't know exactly why auto thefts have declined, they suspect criminals convicted of drug crimes are being put away in jail.

"We have a different situation than we had five to 10 years ago," Strickland said. "There was a time where you could point to a particular person and say, 'This guy's a car thief, this guy's a burglar.' Now we're finding more and more that drugs seem to be the engine driving everything."

Strickland said people typically receive harsher sentences for drug use as opposed to stealing property.

"This is not meant to be a bad reflection on the judges, but for property crime, it's hard to get a lot of time for it," Strickland said.

Drug charges, however, typically land defendants three to five years in jail, Strickland said, and many property thieves typically steal to support a drug habit.

"When somebody goes to court on a drug charge, people do time for that," he said. "One guy gets arrested for drugs, property crimes go down by three or five. When two or three guys get caught, it affects other crime statistics."

Strickland also attributed the decrease to continued enforcement by patrol officers.

Routine traffic violations can also lead to the discovery of more serious crimes like auto theft and drug possession, Strickland said.

"At times that traffic stop is what gets us the criminal. Patrol enforcement plays a big role," he said.

Police have said other variables, including market demand for certain auto parts and cars, as well as convicted auto thieves being released from jail, also affect auto-theft statistics.

Auto thefts peaked in 2002, with 8,488 cases. It was a 52 percent spike from the year before, and saddled Hawaii with the third-worst property crime rate in the nation, according to the FBI.

Since then, auto-theft figures have steadily declined.

"I'm glad it's going down," Strickland said. "If it gets the thieves off the street, the citizens can be safe, but I just wish there was some other reason other than drugs. There are no winners with drugs."