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By Steve Pastis
A focused enforcement effort to fight Oldsmobile Cutlass thefts in the San Francisco Bay area has already started showing positive results. Since July 15, officers from the San Mateo County Vehicle Theft Task Force, the San Francisco Police Department, the Oakland Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, assisted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, have had some success in the Special Enforcement Project to stop thefts of the most frequently stolen car in California. “We’ve seized numerous vehicles since the program began,” said Lt. Paul Feyling of the San Mateo County Vehicle Theft Task Force. “Some had been stolen and had their VIN’s switched. The majority have been Olds Cutlasses and a few have been Buick Regals.”
In the 1980s, car thieves preferred foreign-made vehicles such as Hyundais and Toyotas. In the 1990’s, however, criminals have turned their attention to American-made cars, especially the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Last year, the Cutlass held six of the top ten spots (as well as positions 13 and 14) on NICB’s list of the most commonly stolen vehicles. Statistics for the first quarter of 1994 show that the Cutlass has solidified its position as the thief’s car of choice, holding the top five positions on the top 40 theft list, as well as positions 9, 13 and 16.
There’s a tremendous problem with VIN (vehicle identification number) switching,” said Lynn Silva of the CHP. “In the Oakland area, we have picked up approximately 65 to 70 VIN-switched stolens in the last four to five months. The cars are often sold on street corners for cash.” Silva explained that VINs are very easy to change, especially on a Cutlass. “The models didn’t change much between ‘81 and ‘87,” he said. “It’s easy to disguise an ‘86 or ‘87 with an ‘81 VIN.” Criminals will often steal these VINs from wrecking yards.
There are several other factors contributing to Cutlass thefts. The car’s component parts are interchangeable with many other General Motors vehicles, making the Cutlass valuable to thieves stealing cars for their parts. The older models are also equipped with less-sophisticated locking devices, providing increased opportunity for less-sophisticated criminals. “This vehicle has become the car of choice amongst gang members statewide,” stated an NICB spokesperson. “Due to their heavy construction, they are believed by gang members to provide protection during the commission of drive-by shootings and other gang-related activities.”
The Special Enforcement Project to combat this trend is using officers’ authority to stop vehicles for code violations or observed activity suggesting the probability of a criminal violation. “If a driver makes a turn without signaling or his registration is not good, we use probable cause to stop the vehicle,” explained Feyling, who added that, of course, not all Cutlasses are stopped. “There’s no probable cause to do that.”
In addition to obtaining identification from all occupants of the vehicle as witnesses in the investigation, the driver is asked the following three questions:
1. How long have you had the car or how long has the person who owns the car had it?
2. What condition was the car in when it was first obtained?
3. What work has been done to the car and who performed the work?
Surprisingly, many Cutlass drivers are giving officers positive feedback when stopped. “Many people have said that they had their vehicles stolen from them,” Feyland said. “People seem to like that particular type of car. If they lose one, they’ll buy another.”
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