Police News Oct 06.indd - New Zealand Police Association

PoliceNewsThe Voice of Policeamended. The responsibility for those changesfalls under the auspices of the Ministry ofTransport.Unique adhesive sprayWOVM involves spraying a unique identitynumber thousands of times throughout thevehicle via a microdot-impregnated adhesive.The microdot paint gives each car a unique‘fingerprint’. The microscopic identificationnumbers can be read with a specialmagnifiying device. The technology makes itvirtually impossible for a vehicle’s identity tobe concealed and will also limit the market forstolen vehicle parts.WVOM is known to deter professionalcriminals and engine immobilisers deteropportunistic thieves such as joyriders.Professional car thieves either cut the car upin ‘chop-shops’ to sell the parts separatelyand/or steal the car’s identity and transfer it toanother stolen vehicle of the same make so itcan then be onsold. Organised criminals alsosteal cars to be used as getaway vehicles forarmed robberies or ram raids.Engine immobilisers – as the name suggests- deactivate a vehicle’s engine and prevent itfrom being ‘hot-wired’ – a technique popularamongst car thieves. It takes a competent carthief less than a minute to steal a car.In January 2005, then Justice Minister, PhilGoff, announced the Ministry of Justice’sVehicle Crime Reduction Programme had• The true VIN number is identified when a false firewall plate (with counterfeit VIN number)is lifted from a stolen vehicle.- Photo courtesy of Wellington Police Forensic Photography.Cabinet approval. The initiatives were to beimplemented between 2005 and next year.The Government said at the time thatimmobilisers should cost around $400 a carand vehicle marking around $65. The importerwould meet the cost. Between 150,000-200,000 cars were expected to meet thecompliance each year, putting the costbetween $60-80 million.CostsCritics say that the costs will cancel out thesavings.Motor Industry Association Chief Executive,Perry Kerr, said at the time that the MIAsupported making immobilisers compulsorybut had concerns about WOVM. The MIAfelt the costs would be higher than theGovernment’s estimates. The MIA also hadconcerns over the logistics of marking allimported cars.The Independent Motor Vehicle Dealers’Association says the measures should be‘market driven’ rather than compulsory.The initiatives have gained the backing ofPolice, the insurance industry and somecar manufacturers. The benefits to Policeare obvious. A reduction in Police’s secondhighest crime would reduce costs, reduce fearof crime and free up resources.Detective Sergeant Gerry Bashford of theVictorian Police’s Organised Motor VehicleTheft Squad, has specifically identified thevalue to Police of WOVM as:• Viewed through a special magnifier, the microdots are revealed – giving each car a uniquenumbereed ‘fingerprint’ for easy identification. On the right is a pinhead, to give you anidea of the scale.- Photo courtesy of Wellington Police Forensic Photography.• A deterrent effect for professional motorvehicle thieves;• Easy identification of stolen vehicles andparts;• A reduction in investigation andprosecution timeframes;• Simplification of court proceedings;• Protection for innocent purchasers fromunnecessary investigation;• The return of stolen goods to their rightfulowners;• A reduction in the need for suspect motorvehicles to undergo forensic examination.236October 2006