In just under two months (October 1, 2023 through November 25, 2023), there have been ten vehicles stolen from within the Madras city limits. Of those ten, Madras Police officers have recovered seven, four arrests were made, and two vehicles were recovered by other agencies. There is still one vehicle that remains unrecovered. In addition, Madras officers recovered one vehicle that was reported stolen from Deschutes County.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, approximately one motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds, which adds up to more than one million vehicles stolen last year. Don’t become one of those statistics. There are a few simple steps every car owner can take to help deter a car thief:
- Remove valuables from the vehicle or lock them out of sight.
- Lock your car doors, roll the windows all the way up, and don’t leave your keys or key fob in the car.
- Do not leave your vehicle unattended while warming up (unless you have a high-quality remote start system which keeps the vehicle locked and it won’t start without the original key or fob).
If your vehicle is stolen:
- Report it to your local non-emergency dispatch center as soon as you are aware. Up to 45% of stolen vehicles are recovered within two days. Be prepared to provide the make/model of the vehicle, color, license plate number, as well as the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN can be found on your insurance policy documentation or on the Proof of Insurance card.
- Report it to your insurance company. Oftentimes insurers need a police report before honoring a claim.
“Do everything you can to make things difficult for criminals,” stated Police Chief Tim Plummer. “The harder they have to work, the quicker they’ll move on to any easier target.”
For additional prevention tips, visit our website at www.ci.madras.or.us/police and/or follow us on Facebook.
