| CAR SAFETY
PLAN |
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Every year around 11000 vehicles worth Rs.2.00
billion are stolen in Pakistan. The stolen vehicles are either
resold to innocent buyers or used in some nefarious activity. It has
been recorded that stolen vehicles are used to facilitate heinous
crimes like murder, robbery/dacoity, kidnapping/abduction, drug
trafficking etc. It is, therefore, logical that the owner/user of
such a vehicles is ostensibly linked with the crime and the poor
fellow is caught between two fires; one earlier loss of the vehicle
and the other getting the burden of proving his innocence with
respect to the crime committed in which his stolen vehicle was used.
In both the cases victims are the innocent citizens.
The motor vehicle is probably the second largest investment most
of us make and due to carelessness and lethargy do not protect it
and when it is lost we are pained and repent. A study carried out
reveals that 60% car thieves are bailed out within a month of the
incident or earlier to join again the cycle of car theft. This
warrants a serious thought to amend the relevant law for a deterrent
effect. Any one individual or agency working alone cannot prevent
the crime. It is always the collaborative efforts of all the stake
holders that pay dividends. It requires the police and citizens to
work in partnership to check the possibility of such an occurrence.
It goes without saying that opportunity is an inalienable component
for perpetration of an offence.
1.3 There is a considered view that every offender seeks and
tries to find an opportunity to actuate his designs. If this
opportunity is denied, his malafide intention remains abortive. The
community policing strategy, policing for prevention, provides many
ways for police and community to work together to prevent crime and
build safer neighbor-hoods. This plan deals with one of those
efforts in collaboration for saving the cars from being stolen and
offers few security tips and a number of other services useful for
avoiding being trapped in doubtful investment. The number and kind
of security device needed for vehicle varies depending on type of
the vehicle and demographic location. Financial position and
personal preferences also count in selecting such an implement for
the vehicle. In view of all these circumstances the Capital Police
has initiated Car Safety Plan (CSP).
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Concept |
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The basic
theme of this service devolves on the concept of “target hardening”
adopted the world over as a successful strategy. The essence of the
concept is to fortify target vulnerable to crime and thus deny
opportunity to the criminal to offend against them.
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STAKE HOLDERS |
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Following are the Stake Holders of
this plan.
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Manufactures |
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Car Dealers |
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Owners |
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Excise Department |
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Police |
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Security Appliance Dealers |
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MANUFACTURERS |
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Experience has shown that Suzuki & Toyota make
cars are the most vulnerable due to their defective lock systems
(door and ignition) which provides the thieves with an easy
opportunity to steal them. If the manufacturers realise and improve
the said lock system and also install a reliable inbuilt security
instruments in these vehicles, their theft will fall down. For this
purpose manufacturing units are being approached.
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CAR DEALERS |
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A sizeable number of citizens purchase second hand
cars and very often get trapped in the deal of a stolen car and
eventually lose both the car and their money. To avoid this malady
the second hand car dealers have been briefed to get the said cars
checked through police computer record and the Forensic Science
Laboratory.
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OWNERS |
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The primary responsibility of securing the vehicle
rests with the owner. As said earlier he has invested huge amount of
money in the purchase of a car therefore, he should make a genuine
deal after getting the car cleared from police computer record and
forensic science laboratory whereafter, he should protect it by
installing a security device and common sense approach.
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EXCISE DEPARTMENT |
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The Excise and Taxation Officer, has been apprised
of the impending danger of re-registration of stolen cars and
solicited to get clearance of vehicles from our computer record and
forensic science laboratory before transferring this vehicle in the
name of subsequent owner/purchaser especially in case of vehicle
from other districts.
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SECURITY APPLIANCE DEALERS |
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The dealers can play a very important role if they
could market the security gadgets properly and professionally. In
this connection police can assist and coordinate with these dealers
who could supply the quality gadgets at economical and affordable
prices.
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POLICE |
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Since the Police is responsible for prevention and
detection of vehicle theft, therefore, they have to play an active
role as stakeholder. The ACLC (Anti Car Lifting Cell) has chalked
out the strategy to identify the gangs involved in car jacking and
to carry out their surveillance.
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STRATEGY |
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Under this head fall the cognitive faculties of
awareness, motivation, and the exercise of coordination and
implementation. |
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Awareness |
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Motivation |
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Coordination |
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Implementation |
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Coordination |
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Rescue 15 will work as coordination centre. All
relevant informations and assistance will be provided by the centre. |
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CAR SECURITY TIPS |
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COMMON SENSE STRATEGY
An unlocked vehicle with
a key in ignition is an open invitation to any thief regardless of
some anti-theft device you may use. The common sense approach to
protection is the simplest and the most cost effective way to avoid
the would be thieves. You should also always secure your vehicle,
even if you are parking it for “Just a minute”. Do this by;
a) Removing the car keys from ignition.
b) Locking of all the
doors.
c) Completely closing all the windows
d) Parking in
well-lit area.
e) Using emergency brake when parking
f)
Parking the vehicle in the garage if available and locking both the
vehicle and the garage.
g) Removing the ignition fuse or coil of
the vehicle and thus disabling it, if it is parked in the open and
is to remain un-attended for a long time.
Never leave your engine running and vehicle unlocked before
entering your home, convenience store or any other building.
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LOCKS AND ALARMS |
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There are a number of gadgets/devices which can
protect your cars from being stolen. This includes the following:-
a) Steering Wheel Locks
This is a metal bar designed to prevent
the steering wheel from turning. In a few vehicles, simple lock can
also be fixed with steering rod at the lowest ebb and in between the
brake and accelerator paddles.
b) Steering Column Collar
This prevents theft occasioned by
hot-wiring the vehicle. Some collars are installed permanently while
others are activated when needed.
c) Audible Alarms
These are equipped with motion or impact
sensors that trigger a 120 decibel siren. This device when activated
will automatically switch off the engine after few seconds and also
raise alarm making the thief unnerved compelling him to abandon the
vehicle. These devices are easily available in the market and range
between 500/- to 3500/- rupees depending on the quality of the
equipment. The experience has shown that this is an extremely useful
and cost effective device.
d) Smart Keys
This implement contains special coded computer
chips or radio frequency, therefore without the exact key the
vehicle engine can not be started.
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WIND SCREEN ETCHING |
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If the vehicle’s engine, chassis, and
registration number are etched on wind screen/back screen or
windows, it would make difficult for the thief to resell the vehicle
or its parts. This process is generally known as sand blasting and
is available in the market at a very cheap rate.
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PARKING THE CAR |
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Always park in areas well lit, proximate to the
spot of your transaction and avoid remote and dark places.
After
parking take a look around the adjoining areas to ensure that there
was no suspicious individual in the parking vicinity.
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BEING FOLLOWED |
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If you feel that you are being followed in
suspicious circumstances where your safety is at stake, take evasive
action and drive in the central lane. If your follower continues
with the process, drive to some crowded location and phone for
urgent assistance.
If some one forcibly attempts to stop you, Do
Not Do So- even if if results in collision. Sound the horn and drive
towards light or wherever you may find assistance and safety.
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CAR SNATCHING |
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If you feel that you are being followed in
suspicious circumstances where your safety is at stake, take evasive
action and drive in the central lane. If your follower continues
with the process, drive to some crowded location and phone for
urgent assistance.
7.5.2 If some one forcibly attempts to stop
you, Do Not Do So- even if if results in collision. Sound the horn
and drive towards light or wherever you may find assistance and
safety.
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CAR SNATCHING |
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In case some one attempts to snatch the vehicle at
gun point “DO NOT RESIST”. The criminal being in hyper state can
harm you resulting into loss of life also. Try to remain unnerved
and activate your mind to manoeuvre, at suitable movement, to get
away from the peril safely. To avert such a moment, following are
some of the useful measures:-
i) Walk attentively viewing the surroundings and be alert to
nearby activity.
ii) Always check the back seat before opening
your car.
iii) Take note of any-one asking for direction or
handing out publicity leaf-lets/pamphlets.
iv) Prefer the well
known route, through lighted and well travelled roads.
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COMPUTER CHECKING |
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Get the engine and chassis numbers checked from the
computer data bank of stolen vehicles maintained at Resuce-15 Centre
and also get a certificate to that effect.
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FORENSIC LABORATORY CHECKING |
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In view of the recent manipulations of tempering
with the engine number and chassis number, to hood-wink or deceive
simple people and induce them in to buying stolen vehicles, checking
from the computer record is not enough these days. Capital Police
has recently established a Metal Erasure Detector Section in its
Forensic Laboratory where such tempering can be checked and
directed. This facility of checking has also been extended to public
at a nominal cost.
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CHECKING FROM EXCISE RECORD. |
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Ownership of the vehicle may be checked from the
Excise Record. The buyer should avoid accepting open transfer letter
but insist on the seller to get the vehicle transferred in his
(buyer’s) name. |
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PRECAUTION FOR THE BUYERS OF SECOND HAND
VEHICLE |
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Presently there are thousands of stolen vehicles,
which have been bought by the innocent buyers. The law does not
provide any protection to such buyers and irrespective of the huge
amount spent by them in dubious deals, the lawful title to the auto
remains with the original owner only. This simply means that if a
stolen vehicle is found in anyone’s possession it would not only be
returned to the original owner but also make him pass through a
cumbersome legal procedure facing the likely arrest. It is therefore
essential that one must take some basic precautions as highlighted
above before buying a second hand vehicle. |
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