WHEREAS, the FBI estimates that somewhere in the United States one vehicle is stolen every 23 seconds; and

WHEREAS, without considering the cost of associated damage to recovered stolen vehicles, law enforcement costs, court administration, injuries, and damage to other property, the estimated loss value exceeded $7 billion in 1997; and

WHEREAS, conservative estimates by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) indicated that 10% of all vehicle theft reports are fraudulent; and

WHEREAS, many vehicle theft rings are composed of organized crime operatives who provide large sums of money for career criminals to fund other illegal activities; and

WHEREAS, current studies show that only 14% of all reported thefts are cleared by arrest; and

WHEREAS, public awareness is needed to support the training of law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the detection, investigation, and prosecution of vehicle theft and related crimes; and

WHEREAS, such public support and awareness has resulted in the creation of vehicle theft authorities that have improved the control of and decrease in vehicle theft activities; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) urges all states to create anti-vehicle theft committees or vehicle theft prevention authorities that are supported with independent and on-going funding sources set by statute and at a level commensurate with the needs of each state; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that given the international nature of vehicle theft, that all nations are encouraged to adopt similar measures to combat vehicle theft in their respective countries.