Anti-Theft Systems Prevent Stolen Cars

Texas County Progress - Feb. 1999

   It doesn't happen every day, but when it does, the consequences
can be disastrous.

   A law enforcement vehicle is stolen from a parking lot. A running
cruiser is stolen by an unseen perpetrator at a crime scene. Teenagers
finagle a police car and go for a joy ride.

   Several years ago in North Philadelphia, an unmarked state police
car was stolen while a trooper was visiting relatives. On 24-hour call,
the trooper was a member of the state's strategic emergency team and
the trunk of the vehicle contained a grenade launcher, tear-gas grenades,
a sub-machine gun, a .357-caliber revolver, two shotguns, ammunition,
rappelling hooks and other equipment used to scale buildings.

   When the car was found about two hours later, the contents of the 
trunk were missing. 

   In Fort Worth at another time, a police officer was alerted that a
man with a gun had commandeered a pickup that would soon be passing
his location. Waiting on the shoulder, the pickup pulled in behind the
cruiser and the surprised officer left his car running as he went to
talk to he men in the cab.

   The perpetrator was laying flat in the bed of the truck and when 
the officer told him to show himself, the man jumped up and waved 
some sort of ax or hatchet. The officer jumped out of the way, and
the suspect bolted into the squad car. With lights flashing, he
sped away.

   A five-mile, high-speed chase ended when the cruiser crashed into
the concrete supports of a bridge and the vehicle exploded.

Shift into Gear

   Law enforcement vehicles are often left running in emergency
conditions. An officer or deputy speeds to the scene and doesn't
have a moment to spare as he gets out of the vehicle and handles
the situation.

   Cars are also left running at the scene of accidents when cruisers
are occupies by prisoners or passengers - especially in extreme
weather when the heater of air conditioner must be operated.

   To allow officers the flexibility and choice to leave an automobile
running or not, one solution is an anti-theft system.

   Sold only to responsible state and local law enforcement agencies,
Tremco Police Products makes a system that activates automatically,
protecting the vehicle from theft - would-be thieves cannot pull
the shifter out of the "park" position. When the officer returns
to the vehicle, he or she deactivates the system and is on the way
in a heartbeat.

   The system also provides 24-hour protection for vehicles not in 
service. If the vehicle is not in use, the shifter will not release,
even if the keylock is destroyed.

Better Safe Than Sorry

   Although they've never had a vehicle stolen, several vehicles in
the Wilson County sheriff's department are outfitted with the 
anti-theft gadgets.

   "They work really well," said Chief Deputy Johnny Deagan. "It's
safe to leave the car running if a suspect is leaving the crime
scene. It also works against someone who might sneak up from behind
and try to take the car."

   However, Deagan warned with a chuckle, "If another officer is
going to borrow your car, you better tell them how to disengage
the device. It's hard to find if you don't know where it is."

The anti-theft system:

-Prevents vehicle theft when the engine is left running.
-Activates when the vehicle is put into "park."
-Allows emergency lighting, radios, heaters, air conditioners
and defrosters to operator while maintaining needed battery
current.
-Blends in with surrounding components for camouflage effect.
-Plugs into existing harnesses on police package vehicles.
-Is easy to install.

   "It's a very simple device, but very effective," said Herman
Wolff, former fleet manager for the Department of Public Safety,
which is equipping all of its new marked vehicles with the system.
"It's easy to install and uninstall, plus it's inexpensive."


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Tremco Police Products can be reached at 888-666-3031 or 
visit www.tremcopoliceproducts.com for additional information.