By the Associated Press
Raleigh, N.C., May 3—The establishment of a theft bureau to co-operate with the local authorities in dealing with the stealing of automobiles was announced by J.E. Sawyer, motor supervisor of the state department today, with R.P. Harris of Charlotte, in charge of the work and a staff of five inspectors working throughout the state to supplement the work of the bureau here.
In addition to the serial license directory already available for the identification of lost or stolen automobiles, the bureau will place at the disposal of the public a directory of serial motor numbers, with individual makes of cars registered serially, making immediate identification possible where there is doubt in the validity of other marks of identification.
The serial motor number directory has been made up from automobiles whose owners have registered their titles, numbering about 200,000 automobiles and 20,000 trucks. Approximately a thousand truck owners and 60,000 owners of passenger cars have not registered the title of their cars, and their numbers are not available for the theft directory. Mr. Sawyer will urge all owners to register their titles by the the time they register for license next month.
Examples of the importance of registry of title as a protection against theft were cited in the records of the bureau for today. From a Minnesota city came an inquiry as to the ownership of a car carrying a certain motor number. Examination of the directory revealed the fact that the car was registered for title by a citizen of this state and reported stolen three weeks ago. The Minnesota police reported the capture of the thief and the recovery of the car within an hour after information was telegraphed them.
Another inquiry came from Florida, describing a car believed to have been stolen from this state. It had no license number, but other details tallied. The motor number was given, but its title had not been registered here, and positive identification of the car and its return to the supposed owner in this state must await further investigation. Registry of title, Mr. Sawyer said, would have made immediate identification possible.
Within a past few weeks the inspectors working throughout the state have recovered 37 automobiles and secured 15 convictions for theft. Inspectors have been equipped with fast automobiles, and several recoveries have been made after long chases. With he work well organized and the directories completed, the bureau expects to be able to work very much more effectively in the recovery of cars and the conviction of thieves.
Mr. Sawyer expressed a hope that every case of theft of automobiles will be immediately reported to the theft bureau, together with the make of car, state license number and motor serial number. Local authorities are urged to make full use of the records and services of the bureau in checking up doubtful ownership, and that no citizens will purchase a second hand car without first verifying the title from the records of the office here.
Serially indexed numbers of automobiles in neighboring states would be made available here and the service will be extended over a wide area through co-operation among states that have already established theft bureaus or have them in contemplation. Mr. Sawyer has been at work on this project for several months, and his inspectors have visited several states studying methods.
From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, May 4, 1924
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