PIAM: 50 vehicles stolen daily  (Sat Mar 02, 2002 The Star)

PETALING JAYA:  More than 50 vehicles were reported stolen every day last year, with insurers paying over RM1 mil per day in vehicle theft claims.

General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) executive director Lim Chia Fook said insurers paid out RM368 mil for motor vehicles theft claims last year, the highest ever paid out in the history of motor claims.

The payout was an increase of 8% from from the 2000 motor vehicles theft claims of RM340 mil.  In 1999 PIAM paid out RM294 mil, RM195 mil in 1998 and RM135 mil in 1997.

He said of the 18,450 claims, 12,100 were for motorcycles, 5,215 for private cars and 1,091 for goods vehicles.

Four-wheel drive pick-up trucks were the favourite of the car thieves, with a total of 265 Ford Rangers and Ford Couriers reported stolen last year, followed by 129 Perodua Kembara, 108 Toyota Landcruiser and Prado, 86 Mitsubishi L200 and Storm, 84 Mitsubishi Pajero and 74 Honda CRV.

A total of 3,499 private cars were reported stolen, with 1,194 Proton Wira, the largest number reported missing.  They attributed to 18% or RM50.3 mil of the claims last year.

The other car models which went missing were Perodua Kanchil (514), Proton Iswara (342), Proton Satria (321), Proton Saga (318), Proton Perdana (292), Proton Waja (236), Honda Civic (90), Honda Accord (84), Perodua Rusa (65) and Toyota Harrier (42).

Among the motorcycles, Honda 97cc was the target of the thieves, with 4,147 reported stolen followed by Yamaha 133cc (1,866), Modenas 111cc (1,493) and Yamaha 110cc (1,043), while Daihatsu Delta were the top commercial vehicles reported lost with 156 units.

According to PIAM statistics, the Subang area is the hotbed for thefts, with 290 motorcycles, 537 private cars and 92 commercial vehicles totalling RM33.9 mil in claims.

He said 68% of the state's total motorcycle thefts occurred in Shah Alam.

PIAM said owners have been cautioned to take security precautions as vehicle thefts are still rampant.

"PIAM has advised owners to avoid parking lots which levy per entry charges, not to leave parking tickets in the car, and use mechanical anti-theft devices such as steering and gear locks as well as electronic anti-theft devices such as immobilisers," he said.

"While the increased efforts by the police have uncovered several theft syndicates and led to the recovery last year of 2,804 stolen vehicles, there is still much to be done to curb this crime," he said.

He said PIAM's Theft Task Force is working closely and sharing information with the police as part of its initiatives to reduce the number of thefts and number of stolen vehicles leaving the country as well as expedite the return of the vehicles to their rightful owners.