Do you live in Michigan? Do you own a vehicle? Have you ever had a vehicle stolen while you were in Michigan?
If you have answered yes to all these questions, then it is most likely that the stolen vehicle incident you experienced is all part of the state's statistics on stolen vehicles.
The Auto Channel reported that Help Eliminate Auto Thefts, or more commonly known as H.E.A.T., has informed the public that the statistics from the year 2006 which was released by the Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA) can be quite alarming. Although the report disclosed that the number of stolen vehicles in Michigan had "a slight increase", that slight increase is still an alarming matter.
Terri Miller is the director of H.E.A.T and he disclosed that the statistics of vehicle thefts oftentimes reflect the condition of the economy of the area or of the state. He even continued to explain the whole deal, "As the economy worsens, actual thefts increase, as well as insurance frauds disguised as theft as a way to dispose of vehicles that people can no longer afford. However, looking at the long term view, we deem the ATPA's 20-year statistics as a solid benchmark that proves our H.E.A.T. program is working. The data from 2006 does show higher incidences of theft in Detroit and in several other communities across the state, so H.E.A.T.'s job is far from over. We will continue encouraging community members to utilize our 24/7 toll-free tip line as a safe, anonymous way to report criminal activity, recover stolen property and help keep insurance rates down."
In the state of Michigan alone, there has been a slight increase of vehicle theft overall. As per the state's cities, there were notable increases in Detroit (6.9%), Warren (10.5%), Pontiac (15.8%), Lansing (14.6%) and Battle Creek (16.6%). However, it is also interesting to note that there were also declines in stolen vehicle numbers for some cities in the state. In fact, Dearborn, known as the home turf of car manufacturers, has had a decrease of 4.3%. Other Michigan cities with a decline in auto thefts include Southfield (-16.8%), Flint (-3.9%), Jackson (-22.9%), and Muskegon (-28.6%).
If you have information on vehicle theft and all other things related to that like maybe the stealing of some of your , you can actually call up H.E.A.T. at 1-800-242-HEAT.