Vehicle Theft

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Anne Arundel County police report major crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Main Street, 500 block, Jan. 16. Theft. Ninth Street, 600 block, Jan. 15. Motor vehicle theft. Cherry Lane, 7700 block, Jan. 15. Theft. Fifth Street, 800 block, Jan. 14. Theft. Second Street, Unit block, Jan. 13. Theft from motor vehicle.

During a June meeting of leaders from Baltimore's law enforcement and judicial circles, city police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts gave a report on crime that included a surprising statistic. Half of all cars stolen in Baltimore had their keys left in the ignition, he said. The comments were made as he informed officials that car thefts had increased 4 percent compared with the same period last year. This month, he repeated the same "50 percent" estimate to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, which includes local judges, prison officials, federal and state prosecutors.

Vehicle theft has become such a widespread and fast-growing problem, particularly in the Baltimore metropolitan region, that elected officials have realized they ignore it at their own political peril.State powers-that-be have begun to fight back in various ways. House of Delegates members from the northwest sections of Baltimore City and Baltimore County have proposed legislation that would finally create a Maryland law specifically dealing with vehicle theft. The measure would make such a crime a first-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Anne Arundel County police report major crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Lotus Court, 7600 block, Jan. 26. Forced-entry burglary. Montrose Avenue, 300 block, Jan. 26. Theft. Kay Court, 800 block, Jan. 26. Theft of motor vehicle parts/accessories. Thomas Drive, 100 block, Jan. 25. Theft.

Launching a statewide program to combat vehicle theft occurs not a moment too soon. The problem has become so widespread and has grown so fast that it demands the aggressive type of approach planned by the new Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council. Similar efforts in Michigan and California have been successful.Earlier this month, the vehicle theft prevention council awarded $983,000 for public education programs around the state. About half the money went toward initiatives in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, the jurisdictions in the metro region with the highest vehicle-theft rates by far.One key initiative is the city-county task force to analyze the theft problem and devise solutions.

In a widening attack on the thousands of motor vehicle thefts in the Baltimore area each year, a joint city-county police task force will be more than doubled in size next month.Its work, along with that of prosecutors, will be aided by $369,000 in grants accepted this week by the Baltimore County Council from the gubernatorially appointed Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council.The task force, formed in January with $245,000 in state grants, began with 14 officers and focused on the west side of Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

After a year with the lowest levels of serious crime in more than two decades, the number of robberies, arson and vehicle theft increased last year in Baltimore County, according to statistics released yesterday by county police. Overall, serious crime was up more than 4 percent in the county last year, with robbery up about 18 percent, arson up nearly 16 percent, and motor vehicle theft up about 13 percent, county police said yesterday. At the same time, those crimes were going down by about 2 percent statewide, according to the 2006 annual preliminary crime figures recorded by the Maryland State Police.

Crime in Maryland dropped by 7 percent, according to preliminary figures for the first nine months of 1997 -- a trend driven by significant declines in Baltimore and Washington.But the news was not so good in some regions. On the Eastern Shore, and in Southern and Western Maryland, crime increased significantly in several categories. No single cause was apparent, but officials said growth in those areas was a factor.Where crime declined, law enforcement officials and experts pointed to community policing, information sharing and efforts aimed at high-crime areas.

SEATTLE -- Three cars a week, sometimes four. Usually nice ones. Even a patrol car now and then. He said he stole them for the thrill and because he was high. Part methodical technician, part methamphetamine addict, part scavenger, Taylor J. Norton, 22, had a way with getting away with it, the authorities say. Until now. "He says he stole 200 to 300 cars," said Rebecca Hover, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office in Snohomish County, north of Seattle. "Whether he's correct, we don't know yet. This is what he's telling us. His attention to detail has been quite clear and concise so far."

IN YOUR Feb. 26 editorial "Radio-free Parris," you have some misconceptions concerning the mission of the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council and our plan to reduce vehicle theft in Maryland, whatever it takes.If this means recruiting the governor to be our lead spokesman, so be it. After all, he is the leader of the state, and we were honored that he would take the time to assist us.An independent evaluation of the council's program was conducted in 1996 by the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Anne Arundel County police report major crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Main Street, 500 block, Jan. 16. Theft. Ninth Street, 600 block, Jan. 15. Motor vehicle theft. Cherry Lane, 7700 block, Jan. 15. Theft. Fifth Street, 800 block, Jan. 14. Theft. Second Street, Unit block, Jan. 13. Theft from motor vehicle.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. City of Laurel Scott Adam Court, 9100 block, Dec. 8. Theft from motor vehicle Braygreen Road, 7800 block, Dec. 7. Forced-entry burglary. Lauren Lane, 14100 block, Dec. 7. Theft. Chapel Cove Drive, 7900 block, Dec. 6. Forced-entry burglary. Spring House Lane, 9300 block, Dec. 6. Theft of motor vehicle parts/accessories.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Montrose Avenue, 300 block, Nov. 3. Theft. Irving Street, 100 block, Nov. 3. Motor vehicle theft. Marshall Avenue, 300 block, Nov. 2. Theft. Harvest Bend Lane, 8200 block, Nov. 2. Theft from motor vehicle. Contee Road, 7800 block, Oct. 31. Motorcycle theft.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. City of Laurel Split Rail Lane, 7200 block, Oct. 26. Theft. Fifth Street, 800 block, Oct. 25. Forced-entry burglary. Normandy Court, 14700 block, Oct. 25. Motor vehicle theft. Fairlawn Avenue, 1000 block, Oct. 23. Shoplifting. Seventh Street, 1000 block, Oct. 23. Theft from motor vehicle. Cherry Lane, 8000 block, Oct. 22. Theft.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Baltimore Avenue, 14600 block, Sept. 15. Forced entry burglary. Fairlawn Avenue, 900 block, Sept. 15. Theft. Fairlawn Avenue, 900 block, Sept. 14. Theft. Baltimore Avenue, 14900 block, Sept. 14. Theft. Fourth Street, 14900 block, Sept.

A 54-year-old Manchester man was arrested in Westminster Tuesday and charged with stealing lawn and garden tractors and several over-the-road utility trailers.The Maryland Vehicle Theft Task Force charged Buck Alvar Harris of stealing the equipment, removing the identification numbers and attempting to sell the stolen equipment. He was released on his own recognizance by a court commissioner.The MVTTF said its investigation of Mr. Harris parallels interstate thefts in which a large quantity of lawn and garden tractors have been stolen from dealers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Maryland officials have started a focused attack on auto theft with nearly $1 million in grants to law enforcement agencies around the state, and another $1 million is on the way.Nearly a third of the money distributed has gone to Baltimore County, where car thieves have struck hard in the past year.Gov. Parris N. Glendening and the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council have modeled Maryland's program after a plan devised in Michigan, where the vehicle theft rate was once second in the nation.