AUTO THEFTS RATE DROPS.

Byline: Phillip W. Browne Staff Writer

Auto thefts have plummeted 20 percent in the San Fernando Valley and 11 percent citywide thanks to a beefed-up effort by the Los Angeles Police Department, which is working with other agencies, officials said Tuesday.

Through July, 5,373 cars were reported stolen in the Valley, compared with 6,691 during the first seven months of 2003. Citywide, car thefts dropped from 18,805 to 16,833.

Because evidence discovered in stolen vehicles frequently helps in other investigations, authorities say these efforts are related to drops in crimes such as identity theft, gun possession and drug trafficking.

``This is a good news day,'' Chief William Bratton said at a press conference at the LAPD's Devonshire Division. ``When we began to pay attention to this problem, the numbers began to drop.''

Bratton added that 86 percent of the vehicles stolen in Los Angeles are eventually recovered.

``In New York, if a car was stolen you would never see it again,'' said Bratton, who previously headed police departments in New York City and Boston. ``In L.A., cars are generally stolen for joyriding or because people don't want to use public transit.''

Deputy Chief Ron Bergmann, who oversees the Valley Bureau, said the recent use of bait cars, coupled with auto theft stings and raids on so- called chop shops have helped in the reduction.

But the major contributor is renewed effort within the LAPD's Community Efforts to Combat Auto Theft section - a task force staffed by the LAPD, the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

``In June (2003), we were up about 6 percent in auto thefts in the Valley, then we started to look for new strategies,'' Bergmann said. ``Our efforts have helped us greatly reduce auto thefts, and other serious crimes ... and we're going to continue to do this.''

To date, the most popular stolen cars are 1989-91 Hondas and Toyotas. And the most common thieves are juveniles - many of whom are not even old enough to drive.

For example, Bergmann said, officers in the Foothill Division have recently identified a ring of 15 juveniles in Sunland who steal cars for fun. One of them was recently arrested for hijacking a car from a 61-year- old man, then critically injuring him by running him down.

``We have about four of these kids in custody,'' Bergmann said. ``They are flagged and we are watching them. They just want to joyride and run from the police.''

Part of the new push has been to improve communications and intelligence-sharing with several other law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the District Attorney's Office and the juvenile-justice system.

Police Commissioner Alan Skobin said the communication is vital because criminals see no borders, and Los Angeles does not want to displace criminals to other communities.

``We want to displace them to prison,'' Skobin said. ``When someone's vehicle is stolen, their hope is stolen. They lose their ability to provide for their families, to drive to work, drive to school, to the grocery store and the hospital.''

Major James Hahn applauded the LAPD's efforts.

``In tough fiscal times, all of our city departments are under pressure to do more with fewer resources,'' Hahn said. ``Under the command of Deputy Chief Ronald Bergmann, the Valley Bureau has been diligent in finding creative ways to address this considerable problem.''

Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, said broad reductions in auto thefts lead to a reduction in insurance claims, and the savings are passed along to policyholders.

``In fact, last March we began to notice that the number of claims over the last year, and the severity of those claims, began to drop,'' Spring said. ``We then filed for a 5 percent reduction in our auto policy rates. With a reduction in cost to us, we pass that on to our policyholders.''

Phillip W. Browne, [phone]

phillip.browne(at)dailynews.com