Rise in car- theft transfers via breaches in security fence, research shows

More and more car thefts are taking place through breaches in the security fences between Israel and the Palestinian territories, research has found.

In the last six months, Ituran’s sample of about 600,000 vehicles, found that as a result of intensive activity by Ituran’s security forces and law enforcement units at the Palestinian Authority checkpoints, more and more thieves transferred stolen vehicles through areas of the fence where there is no military enforcement.

During this period, 62% of car theft incidents were committed when the thief was in possession of the key, 12% were broken in to violently and then hotwiring the vehicle via the computer system, 14% were started through the OBD socket in the vehicle and 9% of incidents were car theft incidents that took place during the towing process. In 3% of the incidents, the vehicle was stolen from its owner or the vehicle keys were left in the vehicle.

During this period, Ituran increased the use of technological means to prevent car thefts among them: deploying drones with the 80 Ituran enforcement squads and using LPR cameras.

Nir Sheratzky, CEO of Ituran: “During this period, the locating units of Ituran seized 86 gangs of thieves and estimated that the difficult economic situation in the economy and rising unemployment will lead to an increase in the number of car thefts in the coming months, as in all criminal industries.”

The capture of 86 gangs of thieves during this period will prevent thefts of about 5,644 vehicles in the coming year worth about NIS 450 million,

In analyzing the thieves’ favorite areas, Gush Dan continues to lead the theft table in Israel with 33% of all theft attempts, followed by the Sharon area with 22%, the southern area with 14%, the Jerusalem district with 8%, the Shfela area with 10%, the northern area with 8% and Judea and Samaria with 5%.