Idaho sees drop in car theft

According to a new report, some local cities have seen a recent drop in car thefts, and that could mean some money saved for car owners.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau Report, car theft in Pocatello went down 17 percent from 2010 to 2011, and in Idaho Falls it dropped 13 percent.

Fewer car theft, isn’t just good news for the people who aren’t getting their cars stolen but could help out anybody with car insurance.

“It’s always good when crime rates go down, because that means costs are going to go down,” Property Casualty Insurers Public Affairs Director Nicole Ganley said.

Pocatello police said when they see any kind of crime rate go down, it shows the public is listening.

“It’s a good point for us. I think it shows that maybe we’re educating the public, that we’re reminding people to lock their cars and take their keys,” Pocatello Police Lt. Paul Manning said.

Besides police work, cops in Pocatello said other factors make a difference, from people being a little more cautious to car makers making things a little tougher for would-be thieves.

“In days past you used to be able to unlock your car with a coat hanger through the window, and it’s much more difficult to do that now. I think the security on the vehicles has improved,” Manning said.

Across the state, car thefts in Idaho dropped about 6.5 percent.

Pocatello police said it won’t take much to keep crimes like auto theft and car burglary going down, as long as people use some common sense.

“Auto theft is a crime of opportunity. Like with vehicle burglaries, if people just lock their cars and take their keys, it decreases the opportunity,” Manning said.