Tulsa Police Report Record Number Of Car Thefts, Burglaries

Tulsa police say car thefts continue to be a big problem for the city with this past year setting record numbers. TPD told News On 6 that they have had an unprecedented number of car thefts and break-ins and that number continues to rise almost every day.

TPD Lt. Chase Calhoun said most of those incidents could have been avoided if victims had locked their doors or kept valuables out of sight.

The Tulsa Police Car Theft Unit is now taking a proactive approach to stop serial car thieves in their tracks. Calhoun says they had more than 4,000 auto thefts last year and expect this year’s numbers to possibly be even higher.

Many of those stolen vehicles are early 2000’s trucks and SUV’s.

“They are older and easier to bypass the locking system,” Calhoun said. “They are easier to start and right now the market for the parts for those vehicles is high in demand.”

Calhoun told News On 6 that the ransomware attack is still impacting their ability to keep track of those report numbers clearly, but they expect to have clearer statistics by the end of the year.

Calhoun said they are on the streets as a way to lower the record-breaking car theft rates they are seeing.

“We are doing things like deploying bait cars, saturating high areas of auto thefts, and recovery locations where people often recover stolen cars,” Calhoun said.

He said locking your doors, not leaving valuables in sight, and even putting one of the bars across your steering wheel will likely keep you from becoming a victim.

Calhoun said due to car theft being a nonviolent offense, it’s difficult to keep repeat offenders in jail be he hopes the law will become more strict soon.