Combat Auto Theft Program

Acting to curb increasing auto thefts here, the Sheriff's Department on Monday announced a program that allows residents to tell officers to pull over their cars during the early morning hours. The Combat Auto Theft program allows owners to register their cars with the Sheriff's Department and receive a reflective yellow and blue decal to place in the rear window. The decal indicates that the owner normally does not drive between 1 and 5 a.m.

Impressed with the program's success in the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the city, Los Angeles Police Department officials said Tuesday that they will soon expand an anti-car theft program citywide. Police say the Combat Auto Theft, or CAT, program operates more as a deterrent than as a way to catch auto thieves. Now in operation in eight police divisions, the program will be expanded to the department's 17 divisions by late fall or early winter, said Sgt.

Faced with an increasing number of auto thefts in the city, the Anaheim Police Department is preparing to adopt the Combat Auto Theft program. CAT attempts to track stolen automobiles with decals that owners affix to their cars. The sticker displays a registration number, and the identification tells officers that the car is not normally driven between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., a time when many autos are stolen.

The Police Department is now offering a program to residents to help reduce the number of vehicles stolen in the city. Beginning today, Fountain Valley residents can enroll in Operation Combat Auto Theft at the Police Department, 10200 Slater Ave. There is no fee for enrolling. Under the program, residents will receive a Combat Auto Theft decal to place on their vehicles, which allows police officers to stop a driver in the early morning hours to investigate the status of the car, Police Sgt.

The Downey Police Department on Monday kicked off a voluntary decal program to combat automobile theft in the city. Participants in the free program--Combat Auto Theft--affix a bright yellow decal to the rear window of their cars. The stickers tell officers they have the right to stop the car between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., hours when the owner usually would not be driving his car. The Combat Auto Theft program is modeled after a New York Police Department program that was started in 1986.

Beginning Sept. 28, Ventura city residents can register for a free voluntary decal program designed to fight auto theft. A bright 4-by-4-inch decal will be affixed to participants' vehicles, indicating to police that if the car is seen on the streets between 1 and 5 a.m., when most auto thefts occur, police have reasonable suspicion to stop the car, said Russ Hayes of the crime prevention unit.

A program that police hope will increase the number of stolen cars recovered by officers as well as cut down on auto thefts was implemented in Placentia this month. City residents who register in the Combat Auto Theft program, called CAT, sign a release form that allows police to stop their vehicle between 1 and 5 a.m., the period when most auto thefts occur. Participants will receive a rear window decal for their vehicle to identify them as participants in the program.

City police are hoping that a little yellow sticker can help them decrease the number of auto thefts, which grew by 12% last year. The city is participating in the Combat Auto Theft program sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The centerpiece of the program is a yellow decal placed in the rear window of a car that gives police probable cause to stop the vehicle after a designated hour.

Beginning today, people who rarely drive in the wee hours of the morning can join a vehicle anti-theft program sponsored by the Police Department and the Automobile Club of Southern California. The Combat Auto Theft program, now available in eight Orange County cities and about 75 Southern California communities, allows residents and business owners to invite police officers to stop their vehicles anytime between 1 and 5 a.m.

Impressed with the program's success in the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the city, Los Angeles Police Department officials said Tuesday that they will soon expand an anti-car theft program citywide. Police say the Combat Auto Theft, or CAT, program operates more as a deterrent than as a way to catch auto thieves. Now in operation in eight police divisions, the program will be expanded to the department's 17 divisions by late fall or early winter, said Sgt.

City police are hoping that a little yellow sticker can help them decrease the number of auto thefts, which grew by 12% last year. The city is participating in the Combat Auto Theft program sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The centerpiece of the program is a yellow decal placed in the rear window of a car that gives police probable cause to stop the vehicle after a designated hour.

A program that police hope will increase the number of stolen cars recovered by officers as well as cut down on auto thefts was implemented in Placentia this month. City residents who register in the Combat Auto Theft program, called CAT, sign a release form that allows police to stop their vehicle between 1 and 5 a.m., the period when most auto thefts occur. Participants will receive a rear window decal for their vehicle to identify them as participants in the program.

An anti-auto theft program that fizzled for lack of interest during testing in Van Nuys three years ago will be launched again across the entire San Fernando Valley later this year because police believe citizens are now more responsive to such community policing programs. Under the Combat Auto Theft program, Los Angeles police will be able to stop any car between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. if it has a small yellow decal in the back window that says: "Member, Operation C.A.T.--Combat Auto Theft."

Beginning today, people who rarely drive in the wee hours of the morning can join a vehicle anti-theft program sponsored by the Police Department and the Automobile Club of Southern California. The Combat Auto Theft program, now available in eight Orange County cities and about 75 Southern California communities, allows residents and business owners to invite police officers to stop their vehicles anytime between 1 and 5 a.m.

Acting to curb increasing auto thefts here, the Sheriff's Department on Monday announced a program that allows residents to tell officers to pull over their cars during the early morning hours. The Combat Auto Theft program allows owners to register their cars with the Sheriff's Department and receive a reflective yellow and blue decal to place in the rear window. The decal indicates that the owner normally does not drive between 1 and 5 a.m.

The Downey Police Department on Monday kicked off a voluntary decal program to combat automobile theft in the city. Participants in the free program--Combat Auto Theft--affix a bright yellow decal to the rear window of their cars. The stickers tell officers they have the right to stop the car between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., hours when the owner usually would not be driving his car. The Combat Auto Theft program is modeled after a New York Police Department program that was started in 1986.

An anti-auto theft program that fizzled for lack of interest during testing in Van Nuys three years ago will be launched again across the entire San Fernando Valley later this year because police believe citizens are now more responsive to such community policing programs. Under the Combat Auto Theft program, Los Angeles police will be able to stop any car between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. if it has a small yellow decal in the back window that says: "Member, Operation C.A.T.--Combat Auto Theft."

The Police Department is now offering a program to residents to help reduce the number of vehicles stolen in the city. Beginning today, Fountain Valley residents can enroll in Operation Combat Auto Theft at the Police Department, 10200 Slater Ave. There is no fee for enrolling. Under the program, residents will receive a Combat Auto Theft decal to place on their vehicles, which allows police officers to stop a driver in the early morning hours to investigate the status of the car, Police Sgt.

Beginning Sept. 28, Ventura city residents can register for a free voluntary decal program designed to fight auto theft. A bright 4-by-4-inch decal will be affixed to participants' vehicles, indicating to police that if the car is seen on the streets between 1 and 5 a.m., when most auto thefts occur, police have reasonable suspicion to stop the car, said Russ Hayes of the crime prevention unit.

Faced with an increasing number of auto thefts in the city, the Anaheim Police Department is preparing to adopt the Combat Auto Theft program. CAT attempts to track stolen automobiles with decals that owners affix to their cars. The sticker displays a registration number, and the identification tells officers that the car is not normally driven between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., a time when many autos are stolen.