January 21, 2010

Valley auto thefts down by nearly 40 percent

The Valley's auto theft rate fell by 38.5 percent for the first half of 2009, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced last week.

The percentage decline from January to June 2008 to the same period in 2009, in Glendale was 31 percent, with 1,226 cars stolen in 2008 compared to 842 in 2009.

According to preliminary numbers just released from the FBI, during the first six months of 2009 there were 7,492 reported vehicle thefts. Between January and June of 2008, 12,190 vehicle thefts were reported in the Valley.

The decrease is also reflected in the number of cases submitted last year by Valley law enforcement. In 2008, 2,690 cases were submitted.

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That number was 1,561 in 2009, a 42 percent drop.

“The decrease, while impressive, is not surprising,â€