The Watch Your Car Program.A significant number of auto thefts occur during the early morning hours when the owners are asleep. In many instances, the thief drives the stolen car to a chop shop or across state lines before the owner awakens to discover the theft. If thieves do not resell re·sell tr.v. re·sold , re·sell·ing, re·sells 1. To sell again. 2. To sell (a product or service) to the public or to an end user, especially as an authorized dealer. or disassemble dis·as·sem·ble v. dis·as·sem·bled, dis·as·sem·bling, dis·as·sem·bles v.tr. To take apart: disassemble a toaster. v.intr. 1. the vehicle for the procurement of its parts, they may use it in the commission of another crime. In any event, the thief wants to avoid being noticed and will refrain from stealing vehicles that could draw the attention of law enforcement officials. The Motor Vehicle Theft Motor vehicle theft or grand theft auto is a criminal act of theft generally understood to refer to the stealing of automobiles, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trucks, trailers or any other motorized vehicle legally allowed on public roads and highways, including attempted Prevention Act authorizes the Attorney General to develop, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance Noun 1. Bureau of Justice Assistance - the bureau in the Department of Justice that assists local criminal justice systems to reduce or prevent crime and violence and drug abuse BJA (BJA Noun 1. BJA - the bureau in the Department of Justice that assists local criminal justice systems to reduce or prevent crime and violence and drug abuse Bureau of Justice Assistance ) in cooperation with the states, a national voluntary motor vehicle theft prevention program. States that participate in the program require the vehicle owners to sign a consent form that authorizes law enforcement officers to stop the vehicle if it is being driven under certain specified conditions and to take reasonable steps to determine whether the vehicle is being operated with the owner's consent. There are two program conditions. Under the first condition, the owner may consent to have the car stopped if it is being operated between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Under the second condition, the owner may consent to have the car stopped if it comes within 1 mile of a U.S. land border or international port. Additionally, the owners must display a decal or device, such as a state-issued, customized license plate, on their vehicles. This decal will eventually become an instantly recognizable icon by police everywhere. It provides for intrastate in·tra·state adj. Relating to or existing within the boundaries of a state. Adj. 1. intrastate - relating to or existing within the boundaries of a state; "intrastate as well as interstate commerce" and interstate enforcement through the checking of vehicles with different county or state license plates. The Watch Your Car Program often identifies vehicles to law enforcement officers before the owner files a stolen vehicle report. Some states maintain a database, included in their department of motor vehicle records, of those vehicles enrolled in vehicle theft prevention programs. Officers are aware that those vehicles enrolled should have decals displayed and the absence of such decals would heighten height·en v. height·ened, height·en·ing, height·ens v.tr. 1. To raise or increase the quantity or degree of; intensify. 2. To make high or higher; raise. v.intr. the officer's suspicion that the vehicle could be stolen. To request further information on this program, call the Department of Justice Response Center at 800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480. For a copy of the report, FS00151, access the BJA home page at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA. |
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