LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish and the River Region contribute to the large market for stolen vehicles at an alarming rate, according to local law enforcement and 2017 crime statistics.

Reports of motor vehicle theft jumped in St. John, with 45 such cases last year, as opposed to 42 the year before.

Last year’s total, as reported by the Sheriff’s Office, is below St. John’s five-year average of more than 52 and below the recent high of 67 in 2013.

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office said it took 60 auto-theft reports in 2017, compared to 37 in 2016.

Reports of regular theft jumped in St. Charles Parish over the same timespan, going from 613 to 690.

In St. John Parish, there were 811 reports of theft in 2017, compared to 925 in 2016.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act authorized by the Governor and State Legislature, allowing “the release of literally thousands of allegedly nonviolent offenders across the state during the past few months” could have impacted local crime rates.

“Overall I am very pleased with the low crime rate we continue to provide St. Charles Parish residents,” Champagne said.

He noted 2017 crime statistics in St. Charles Parish reflect the second lowest crime numbers since he took office in 1996.

Prevention

In addressing motor vehicle thefts, Tregre is concerned about the lack of stolen vehicle recoveries, indicating stolen cars are successfully reaching regional chop shops.

According to Tregre, many stolen cars and trucks originate from unlocked vehicles or cases of local residents keeping spare car keys in their cars.

“I’ve had people leave the car running while they go in the store,” Tregre said, adding most criminals seize on easy targets.

Nearly 70 percent of unlawful vehicle break-ins throughout Greater New Orleans were into unlocked vehicles, marking a highly preventable crime of opportunity, Crimestoppers officials said. With more than 6,300 vehicle burglaries in Greater New Orleans in 2017 a new “Lock It or Lose It” campaign has begun.

The message — “Hide Your Things, Take Your Keys and Lock Your Car – Don’t Be A Victim” — is being promoted by regional sheriffs and police chiefs.

Erik Konow, sales manager at Supreme Ford LaPlace, said the serialized etching of vehicle VIN numbers across new cars is a major deterrent to would-be car thieves and illegal chop shops, which disassemble stolen automobiles for the purpose of selling them as parts.

Konow said, as a standard, Supreme etches the numbers on the engine transmission, door, dash and windows.

“There become less and less things the vehicle can be used for at these chop shops,” he said. “It’s all about making the vehicle less desirable. VIN serialization is the best deterrent out there. We put it on all of our vehicles because for chop shops and places like that, glass is a very high dollar item.”

Car dealers said it is possible for thieves to electronically hack push button ignitions, sometimes by using a simple $700 black market decoder. They said chipped key ignitions are the toughest to replicate.

Burglaries

When it comes to home and business burglaries, prevention methods are proving a major deterrent to would-be criminals.

“I truly appreciate the residents that have taken efforts to purchase home surveillance security systems,” Tregre said. “That has been a huge plus for the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office and all jurisdictions.”

Reports of St. John burglaries decreased in 2017, dropping to 46, as compared to 93 in 2016.

There were 218 St. Charles Parish burglaries reported in 2017, up from 188 the year before.

Tregre said home surveillance recently proved extremely valuable in breaking up a potential LaPlace burglary ring.

Five teenagers, two who were armed, were arrested Jan. 16, the same day authorities received a report of a Welham Loop burglary. Police were told the resident returned home that morning to an open kitchen window and several missing designer accessories and electronics valued at nearly $2,000.

Home surveillance was used the same day to provide a description of the assailants, Tregre said, leading to the arrests of several teenagers within hours.

Police said they were able to recover some of the stolen items during the arrests.

“I expect improvement,” Tregre said. “It’s not just technology; it’s citizens working with us to give us those tips.

“I hope the numbers (of calls for service) are higher this year. I hope it is a 25-percent increase this year. You never know, that one call might be this thing we are looking for.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The above is the third in a four-part series examining crime in St. John the Baptist Parish and those working to make the community safer.)