According to recent studies conducted by The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), seven out of the 10 worst hot spots for auto theft crimes in 2014 were in Californian metropolitan areas, most of which were near the heart of the state. The top spot went to the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward bay area with 29,093 reported car thefts, a staggering 633 vehicles stolen per 100,000 residents. The tenth place "winner" goes to San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan area at 10,531 incidents, or 539 per 100,000 residents.
The statistics come as a surprise to many who expecting the numbers to be lower. Nonetheless, ever since the mid-1990's, car theft crimes have been at a steady decline across the nation. It is believed that it has become significantly more difficult for individuals to commit car theft due to transponder keys and pre-installed GPS devices that can track the car's whereabouts.
Due to the conflict between dropping car theft crime rates and noticeably high incidents per capita, especially in California, it might call for more thorough investigation. One theory suggests that reported car theft crimes do not necessarily reflect the actual number of car thefts, as many people might be arrested on suspicion of stealing a vehicle without actually committing the crime.
For example, a car theft could be reported when the automobile was not stolen at all but merely borrowed by a close friend or a family member. Even if the event concludes without incident, it could still be tracked by the NICB for their reports.
With that said, people accused of car theft deserve powerful representation to ensure that their rights are not violated by the justice system. If you have been arrested in California for auto theft crimes, you need to contact an Orange County theft crimes attorney from the Law Office of Frances Prizzia right away. Our lead attorney has devoted the entirety of her practice to criminal defense and the fair treatment of her clients, earning her a prestigious "Superb" Rating on Avvo as well as a spot amongst The National Trial Lawyers® Top 100 Trial Lawyers®.
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