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Over the last few years, there has been a significant surge in car thefts throughout the U.S., with California specifically leading the nation in stolen cars — and Pleasanton is no exception to the trend.
According to the Pleasanton Police Department, there have been 89 motor vehicle thefts this year from Jan. 1 to June 30, which is nearly double the numbers from 2022 when the department saw 45 car thefts during that same timeframe.
PPD Sgt. Marty Billdt told the Weekly that “most of the subjects we arrest for motor vehicle theft or possession of a stolen vehicle are not Pleasanton residents.”
These numbers reflect a larger issue in the country where last year, over 1 million vehicles were reported stolen, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. California was at the top of that data chart having led the nation with about 200,000 cars being stolen.
“We are seeing vehicle theft numbers that we haven’t seen in nearly 15 years, and there is very little deterrent to stop criminals from committing these acts as they are just property crimes, like shoplifting,” David J. Glawe, president and CEO of the NICB, stated in a press release. “We must reinvest in local law enforcement, provide the necessary resources for prosecution and community policing programs, and implement early intervention programs given the high incidence of juvenile offenders involved in vehicle thefts.”
According to a separate July 11 press release from the NICB, approximately one motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds.
“Vehicle thefts affect the livelihood of Americans across this country and cost billions of dollars each year,” said Ann Carlson, chief counsel at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the July 11 press release. “Anyone can be a victim of this crime. With the 25% increase in vehicle thefts over the last several years, drivers should be alert and take precautions to protect their vehicle.”
And Pleasanton’s uptick in car thefts this year isn’t something that is unique to the city, it has also been a problem throughout the Bay Area.
According to a 2022 “California Vehicle Theft Facts” sheet from the California Highway Patrol, approximately 18% of all the vehicle thefts in the state occurred in the Bay Area. According to the fact sheet, 44.8% of those thefts occurred in Alameda County.
So what is Pleasanton police doing to help deter these thefts?
According to Billdt, PPD patrol officers — after being informed by residents — have been focusing on making their rounds at potential “hot spots, where there’s a high volume of activity” to help deter thefts. Some hot spot examples are places where there are a lot of cars parked, such as retail outlets and apartment complex, the sergeant said.
“Our department continues to be visible, not only in the hot spot areas, but throughout the city to help deter thefts,” Billdt added.
He also pointed out that the department has been successful in recovering more stolen vehicles in Pleasanton stating that just this year, the department recovered 49 stolen vehicles. Last year, he said that number was 41.
And even though the PPD recently reassigned officers in the special enforcement, crime prevention and traffic units for the time being in order to cover patrol duties due to a shortage in staff, there is a chance that more help could be coming to the city in the form of a grant.
Thanks to approval from the City Council, the city recently applied for the California Board of State and Community Corrections’ “Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant”.
According to the staff report for the June 20 council meeting, the grant would help city police address both organized retail theft as well as motor vehicle and motor vehicle accessory theft within Pleasanton.
The public safety grant would specifically “provide funding to support law enforcement services by increasing the police department’s ability to prevent and respond to organized retail theft and to motor vehicle and motor vehicle accessory theft.”
But for residents who want to know how to deter car thieves in real time, Billdt pointed to the department’s vehicle safety brochure, which offers dozens of suggestions.
According to the brochure, some general tips include making sure your car is securely locked and parked in well lit areas, using anti-theft security devices such as kill switches and installing tracking devices.
Settle the police contract now! The grant won’t help if we don’t have police officers! 55 days without a contract is ridiculous.
It would be helpful to know where the “hot spots” are.
Though a grant is welcomed, should Pleasanton be reliant on chance handouts from the Government for our own police force and community security? I am thinking citizens here are going to have to step up and ante up with more tax money to rebuild and retain an adequate, top notch police force in the face of rising crime right here in our city. Before the story about the contract stalemate broke, we had started noticing the stark lack of traffic enforcement and patrolling. Notice all the ‘donut’ tire marks in intersections all over town…what’s next, side shows? We can’t fall further behind or we face letting crime get out of control and the comfort zone of safety we have all come to enjoy eroding.
The four-vote majority on Pleasanton city council working with the city manager could have resolved the police pay issue long ago.
What appears to have happened, is the council intestinally threw in roadblocks that prevented early resolution. The city stalled let the issue go to mediation, where the city knew full well an early resolution would not happen.
The council then approved millions of dollars for an old house and a second skate park, money that would have resolved the police pay issue.
With two members of the city council supporting DA Pamela Price and her policy to empty the jails, release the criminals, ignore the real crime victims and their families. More Pleasanton residents will experience property loss and other harm.