Thursday, February 2, 2012

Car thieves stay ahead with advanced technology

PETALING JAYA: Vehicle thieves are using high-tech gadgets to make swift and silent getaways.

Where they once used metal rods or rulers to disable a car's locking system before hot-wiring it, they now rely on high-tech gadgets that can deactivate an alarm and other security features to enable them to steal the vehicle in seven minutes on average.

CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said syndicates were using computer harnesses which could be connected to a vehicle's diagnostic system.

“These hand-held devices look like video game consoles to the untrained eye, but they can immobilise a vehicle's alarm and other security features.

“The newer model cars are more vulnerable because they have computer boxes incorporated into their system,” he added.

Vehicle thefts are usually a combined effort by several syndicates, Comm Mohd Bakri said, and explained the stages:

“First, the thieves steal a targeted car and delivers it to a certain location.

“Then a driver takes it to a storage facility before it is either handed over to a freight forwarder or cannibalised for parts.

“The syndicates involved do not make any physical contact with each other when passing the car along.”

He said police had difficulty clamping down on the syndicates because they did not know each other.

Comm Mohd Bakri said the Bukit Aman Operations, Intelligence and Records division had compiled data on the methods the syndicates use to steal vehicles.

“Some of the syndicates target cars in parking lots. After breaking into a vehicle, they drive it bumper to bumper with their own car.

“This way they can use their parking ticket to get both vehicles out before the boom gate closes,” he said.

He added that there were also cases where syndicates rammed into a targeted car, and when the owner came out to inspect the damage, they jumped in and drove off with the vehicle.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

RM604mil in insurance claimed last year

PETALING JAYA: The amount that insurance companies spent on stolen vehicle claims has almost doubled over the past decade, hitting RM604mil last year.

They paid out RM603,719,506 last year, compared to RM340,387,264 in 2000. The number of claims increased from 20,145 to 37,564 in that same period.

Figures from the General Insurance Association of Malaysia showed 8,736 claims were for private cars and 27,304 for motorcycles.

According to the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia Bhd, the most “high-risk” foreign models were the Toyota Hilux and Honda Civic.

However, almost 50% of the cars stolen in the country were locally made, council coordinator Mohd Yusof Idris said.

“The local cars are stolen to be cannibalised for its parts,” he said, adding that greater control over the country's supply chain of car spare parts could help authorities nab the thieves.

Mohd Yusof said greater coordination among the related authorities and industry players was crucial to curb vehicle thefts.

“We need more cooperation among Puspakom (the vehicle inspection authority), police, insurance companies, the port authorities and others,” he said, adding that there should be more sharing of information.

The council is responsible for identifying and coordinating the activities of all sectors involved in curbing vehicle thefts. Its members comprise representatives of the police, Transport Ministry, Road Transport Department, Customs, Bank Negara and the insurance industry.

“We need to look into the loopholes in the system (of checking vehicle thefts) and this can only be done with the cooperation of all the related authorities,” Mohd Yusof said.

He added that more vigorous checks, aided by equipment such as X-ray machines, should be conducted at the country's exit points.