Car thieves prefer Toyotas
Young people may not believe it, but there was a time not too long ago when bicycles in Belize far outnumbered cars, when a luxury sedan was any sedan and the nation’s only SUV. was a beat up Land Rover. All that may have changed, but as News 5’s Marion Ali discovered, not all that change is for the best.
Marion Ali, Reporting
There are more cars and trucks on Belize’s streets and highways than ever before… But while the number of vehicles keeps increasing, there has been an even greater rise in the number stolen. How safe are our vehicles when we park them? According to head of the Police Anti Auto Theft Unit P.C. David Cal, not very. Cal says that while any unattended car is a potential target, Belize’s thieves seem to prefer Toyotas.
P.C. David Cal, Head, Anti Auto Theft Unit
“The Camry, the Cressida, the Tercel and even the Corolla.”
Marion Ali
“Why? What makes it so easy?”
P.C. David Cal
“Easy access; the locks tend to be worn out. We don’t take care of our locks, as a result they get damaged and any key or any flat object would open it.”
Cal says a simple way of taking care of your car’s door locks is by greasing them regularly. But what other measures can people take to safeguard their vehicles?
P.C. David Cal
“Have it locked, have it in their view, buy accessories, the Club, install alarms, kill switches, and fix especially the locks, which are worn out. This will deter thieves from entering or going with the entire vehicle.”
Car thieves are a mixed bag of criminal types but the trend is toward organized groups, who would already have a potential buyer for the vehicle or its parts. Another category of car theft is the potential robber or hit man who needs an untraceable vehicle to use during his crime or to flee from the scene.
In April of last year, the escalating number of car thefts in Belize City led to the establishment of the Anti Auto Theft Unit.
It’s only two officers, but Cal says the records show an impressive ninety percent recovery rate. But many recovered vehicles may be missing several parts or stripped to their bare frames.
When Magdalene Nwabudike’s car was stolen on Friday, October eleventh from her home on Neal Pen Road, it was not a typical case; she actually knew the person who stole the vehicle. Although the perpetrator had removed several items, including the vehicle identification number and all its documents, and had replaced the license plates, the vehicle was in fairly good condition when it was recovered last week on Santa Barbara Street.
Although Magdalene intends to sell the vehicle, she is in the process of making some changes to better secure it.
Magdalene Nwabudike, Car Theft Victim
“I’m going to end up changing the whole locks because the key has already been tampered with, so I have to change the locks.”
On average, stolen cars are recovered within a month from the date of the initial report, and investigations of unrecovered vehicles remain open for up to six months. But while good police work can help get back your car, only you can keep it from getting stolen in the first place. Marion Ali for News 5.
Arrangements are said to be in place with Guatemala, Mexico and the U.S.A. for mutual assistance in the recovery of cars stolen from or exported to those countries.
