It’s a fact, in the United States, most people use motor vehicles as a mode of transportation more than anything else. After all, automobiles have become indispensable. But each year, hundreds of thousands of automobiles suddenly disappear. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 770,000 people are victims of auto theft each and every year. In 2017 alone, the cost of auto theft was roughly $6 billion reports the NHTSA. In the US, a vehicle is stolen every 40.9 seconds. In 2017, the top 10 stolen vehicles were: 1) Honda Civic, 2) Honda Accord, 3) Chevrolet Silverado, 4) Toyota Camry, 5) Ford F150, 6) Nissan Altima, 7) Toyota Corolla, 8) Ford F250, 9) Ford Econoline, and 10) Honda CR-V. (Source: NHTSA) And, of the 10 most susceptible states to auto theft, Arizona ranks #10.
What is the Law in Arizona?
In Arizona, auto theft is covered under Section 13-1814 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, theft of means of transportation. Under Arizona law, auto theft is a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2 to 8.75 years in prison. As you probably already know, auto theft in Arizona and across the US is BIG business. It’s often run by organized crime rings that are making huge profits from stolen vehicles. To combat auto theft, drivers are told to lock their doors, remove their keys from the ignition, close windows all the way, park in well-lit areas, install audible alarms, install vehicle immobilizers, and invest in a tracking system. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has this advice to citizens: “Put your vehicle on the radar screen by installing a tracking system that emits a signal to the police or monitoring service when the vehicle is reported stolen. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked by computer.” Next: FAQs About Warrants in Arizona
Facing felony charges for auto theft in Phoenix? Contact our criminal defense firm at once to schedule a free case evaluation.
