Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 30, 2005 Car theft heats up By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune Despite a decline in vehicle thefts nationwide, the number of vehicles stolen in Jackson County climbed by about 12 percent per capita last year, according to an annual report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Local law enforcement officials blame the increase primarily on a methamphetamine epidemic that has spawned more property crimes overall. "My guess is it’s drug-related," said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters. "You can correlate drugs to almost any increase in theft and burglary." There was a correlation with the suspect arrested after Medford resident Ed Way’s pickup truck was stolen Aug. 23 while he sat in his yard drinking a glass of wine with his wife, Gloria. The couple, who recently moved from the countryside in Jacksonville, had left the keys in the truck’s ignition and the doors unlocked. Advertisement "We never locked our doors in the nine years we lived in Jacksonville," Ed Way said. "You get sloppy, I guess." Medford police recovered the truck less than two hours after it was stolen when an officer noticed the vehicle’s missing taillight. Bobby Shane Charlton, 29, was charged with the crime. Charlton has a history of criminal convictions, including methamphetamine possession. The National Insurance Crime Bureau uses statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center for 336 metropolitan areas and data from the U.S. Census Bureau to compile the Auto Theft Hot Spots report. The organization, based in Palos Hills, Ill., is made up of about 1,000 property and casualty insurance companies and helps insurers and law enforcement agencies in investigating insurance crimes. Nationwide, auto theft decreased by 2.6 percent. Jackson County, identified as the Medford-Ashland metropolitan area in the report, ranked 186th in the nation in 2004 for the number of auto thefts per capita, behind the Portland-Vancouver, Eugene-Springfield and Salem areas. In 2004, there were 481 vehicle thefts in Jackson County, or 265.35 thefts per 100,000 people. In 2003, there were 430 auto thefts, equaling 237.22 per capita. California led the nation in auto thefts in 2004. Seven out of the 10 metropolitan areas with the highest number of vehicle thefts were in California. Guarding against auto theft usually involves simple measures, such as not leaving car keys in the ignition, law enforcement officials said. "As a citizen you’ve got to harden the target by locking your doors and taking your keys with you ," said Medford Police Lt. Tim George. "If you do that, your chances of getting your car stolen are dramatically less." Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail Car theft heats up ">[email protected] . Oregon’s top five 1. Portland-Vancouver National Rank: 37 Thefts per 100,000: 630.45 2. Eugene-Springfield National Rank: 48 Thefts per 100,000: 553.01 3. Salem National Rank: 51 Thefts per 100,000: 543.47 4. Medford-Ashland (Jackson County) National Rank: 186 Thefts per 100,000: 265.35 5. Corvallis National Rank: 263 Thefts per 100,000: 168.9 Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s