Police report less car theft in PoS

SGT Christopher Swamber of the Stolen Vehicle Squad has said there was a 55 per cent reduction in car theft in Port of Spain for January 1-May 5, compared to the same period in 2017.

However, last year there was an “alarming increase” in the number stolen when compared to 2016. He said, “Larceny increased by 27 per cent, as there were 807 recorded reports in 2017 compared to 633 reports in 2016.”

Swamber spoke at the weekly media briefing at police headquarters yesterday. He said for robberies of motor vehicles, there was an increase of 63 per cent, as there were 178 reports in 2016, compared to 291 in 2017.

However, for this year to date, compared to the same period in 2017, “Motor vehicle larceny decreased by 46 per cent, as there were 317 recorded reports in 2017, compared to 172 reports in 2018.”

This, he said, may be attributed to increased police presence.

He said the illegal vehicle industry is a multi-million-dollar industry, and from January 1-May 6, 2017, theft totalled $29,465,595, compared to $27,469,850 for the same period this year. The police noted a trend in victims being robbed as they arrived home, or were at home, with perpetrators entering through open doors. The main methods used by criminals to commit these robberies were confronting the victims in their driveway or front gate at gunpoint, or posing as taxi passengers.

Swamber said car owners should be vigilant at all times.

“Owners of vehicles which utilise coded electronic keys should be mindful that these types of vehicles are targeted to be stolen via robbery, as it is difficult to steal these vehicles by way of larceny,” he said.

Robbery involves stealing from someone in their presence.

He also said it was important to make specific markings on cars, because thieves are now changing the engine and chassis numbers when manipulating their appearance.

Police efforts have resulted in cars being retrieved. Swamber said for January 1-May 5 this year, 55 vehicles that were stolen either by larceny or robbery were recovered. That figure, he said, represented 19 per cent of the total vehicles stolen.