Riverside Police Department

Investigations Division

Auto Theft FAQs

What can I do to keep my car from being stolen?

Unfortunately, the crime of auto theft eventually will affect most people in this country. The Riverside area is no different than any other large metropolitan area. The daytime population swells to over 400,000 due to visitors and those who work in the City of Riverside. With so many cars, the problem can be magnified.

ALWAYS LOCK YOUR VEHICLE ... THIS REDUCES YOUR CHANCES OF BECOMING AN AUTO THEFT VICTIM BY MORE THAN 60%

However, the RIVERSIDE PD has a recovery rate of 75-85% in terms of all vehicles stolen. Most are recovered within three days.

IF YOU ROLL UP YOUR WINDOWS ... YOU HAVE REDUCED YOUR CHANCES OF AUTO THEFT BY UP TO 20%

Riverside has had an increase in reported auto thefts after several years of a declining rate. Currently auto theft results in $7 billion a year lost to consumers because of this crime.

REMOVING YOUR KEYS CAN REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF BECOMING AN AUTO THEFT VICTIM BY UP TO 80%

Besides the obvious loss of a vehicle, we all feel the effects of this crime through our insurance premiums. In 1998 auto theft cost insurance companies and consumers $200 Million

AN ANTI-THEFT DEVICE WILL DETER THOSE THIEVES LOOKING FOR TRANSPORTATION

Each year more than a million vehicles are stolen in the United States – about one vehicle every 30 seconds. The crime is made simple because car owners do not take the simple and necessary precautions. Most car thieves are amateurs who steal cars for transportation, i.e., "joy riding."

AVOID LEAVING YOUR CAR IN UNATTENDED PARKING LOTS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. A BUSY PLACE OFFERS A NATURAL DETERRENT TO AUTO THEFT.

Antitheft devices really work and most new cars now come with factory-installed theft devices. If your vehicle does not have a device, several are available on the market that provides the necessary protection. Many auto parts stores offer a variety of protection options such as steering wheel locks, remote fuel pump cutoff alarms, ignition cutoff switches, hood locks, voltage sensing device (which triggers an alarm when a power drain is detected), motion sensing devices (which are activated by any disruption in the sound wave pattern), to name a few.  

Who is handling my case?

If you are an Identity Theft victim and the matter originated outside the City of Riverside, the matter will be appropriately routed to the police agency where the crime occurred. Otherwise, by calling (951) 353-7100, you can find out who is assigned the case.  

What cars are most likely to be stolen?