MOTOR CAR THEFT BUREAU.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1928, Page 16

MOTOR CAR THEFT BUREAU.

BOYS AND UNLOCKED CASS. HIGH RECOVERY RECORD. Cleveland (Ohio) motorists are justly proud of the success of the Automobile Theft Bureau established by the Cleveland Police Department on January 1, 1927. The report for its first year's activities gives the exceptionally high recovery record of 92 per cent of stolen cars. In other words, 5929 cars were stolen in Cleveland during the year and 5461 were recovered. It was also a bigger theft year than 1926, the stolen cars representing an increase of 1193 over the preceding year. The records show that the majority of thefts were due to boys or young men from 14 to 18 years of age, who, under the influence of the joy-riding spirit, use a car for a few hours and then abandon it in some outlying section. Although the car is recovered within a short time there is frequently a considerable cost to the owner in repairs. The bureau calls the attention of owners to the fact that many of these thefts could be avoided and much personal inconvenience prevented if greater care were shown in locking cars when parked by the side of the road. It considers that a large numbed: of motor owners, by their own thoughtlessness, present opportunities for easy theft. FOR NERVOUS PASSENGERS A Birmingham firm of body builders is introducing a novel type of body work called an Observation Car. In this the passengers look astern instead of through the wind-screen, and the chief advantage claimed is that those who ordinarily drive themselves, and who are nervous of being driven, will be relieved from consequent strain on the nerves or temper.

PETROL PRICES IN ENGLAND. In view of the controversy concerning prices of petrol in New Zealand, the following scale of charges operating in the United Kingdom on April 2 will be of interest:—'lnner London: Pump 10} d gallon wholesale, retail 1/os, profit 2d, royalty bonus Id, 3d in all; commercial users' retail lljd gallon; cans and barrels Id gallon extra, profit same. Outer London: Pump same. Cans and barrels 1/, wholesale 1/2J retail, profit 2sd, without bonus. Rest of England, Wales, and South Scotland: Pump wholesale lid gallon, retail 1/1, total profit 3d gallon. Cans and barrel prices id extra gallon, total profit same as outer London. Commercial users' retail 1/ gallon." The foregoing was the official list of the principal combine, which foreshadowed an early reduction.