Stolen Vehicle Report Changes

Starting today, Charlotte residents whose cars are stolen will get personal treatment by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Keith Bridges, a spokesman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, said the department is changing its policy, beginning today, on how to deal with vehicle thefts.

The new policy: When someone reports a stolen vehicle, a police officer will visit the victim in person. Until now, police had been taking the reports by telephone.

Bridges said the new policy is the result of the department's inability to cut the vehicle theft rate. He said that by responding in person, officers can get a better idea of why and how the vehicle was taken.
"Officers responding to auto theft calls will have an opportunity to work with the victims, to better determine contributing factors in the theft," Bridges said in a news release.

But there's another reason for the change:

Bridges said the new policy also will help police deter people from making false stolen-vehicle reports. He said that in some cases, people report their vehicles stolen -- when, in fact, they have traded the vehicles for drugs, and then reported the cars or trucks as being stolen.

Source: The Charlotte Observer