AUTO THIEVES TO FEEL PINCH.

Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer

Auto thefts have soared this year in the San Fernando Valley, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to launch a crackdown on car thieves who treat the area like a ``shopping mall.''

Under the plan, officers will squeeze small-time thieves for information about how they snatch vehicles off streets and out of parking lots and carports, and for evidence that will lead to information about major players.

And because 60 percent of the stolen cars are taken by juveniles, police will be working more closely with school police and urging students to turn in their joy-riding classmates.

All these efforts are aimed at combating the rise in stolen cars - a trend highlighted this week during the Valley Traffic Division's first meeting on the new Compstat crime-tracking system.

``The Valley is the shopping mall for the car thieves,'' said LAPD Detective Robert Graybill. ``They come from all over the state because we have better cars concentrated in good areas.''

Police say auto thefts soared 36 percent in the West Valley during the first quarter of the year, and 8 percent Valleywide. Eighty percent of the stolen cars were used for joy rides, to move drugs or to commit other crimes, while the rest were stripped for parts.

``The chief of police wants the traffic resources to help focus on the auto theft problem in the Valley,'' said LAPD Capt. Greg Meyer, who commands the Valley Traffic Division.

``My motor and collision investigators come into contact with more cars and drivers on a daily basis than most officers do. There's an opportunity for us to make a difference.''

Auto theft is second only to larceny among all serious crimes - known as Part 1 crimes for FBI reporting purposes - in the 230-square-mile Valley, authorities say.

``Although we have a thrust to reduce violent crime, to really have an impact and reduce Part 1 crime in the Valley, you've gotta deal with property crimes,'' said Deputy Chief Ronald Bergmann, commander of the Valley Bureau.

``Are we ever going to reduce auto thefts to zero? I don't think that's going to happen. But I think we can make a big dent in it.''

Los Angeles Unified School District police have been helping out. During recent weeks, they have recovered two or three stolen cars a week near Valley schools.

Authorities also suggest placing crime-tip boxes at the schools so students can anonymously drop in names of known joy riders.

``Anything we can do to help, we're going to,'' said LAUSD Police Sgt. Bill Tant, a Valley area supervisor. ``If there are students stealing cars and driving them to schools, eventually we'll make an impact.''

Los Angeles ranks No. 23 in the nation for vehicle thefts, and a majority of cars stolen are left unlocked and with the keys inside, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks auto-theft trends.

``A great majority of them could be prevented'' with alarms or steering column locks, said Peter Moraga, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Network of California. ``But if a thief wants your car, there's almost nothing you can do to prevent it.''

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VALLEY AUTO THEFTS

SOURCE: LAPD