Since the beginning of this year, grand theft auto calls, or calls involving stolen vehicles, have increased 57% when compared to the same period of time last year, Long Beach police said in a tweet Tuesday.
In January of last year, Long Beach police got 203 calls related to grand theft auto crimes compared to the 333 calls reported in January of this year, the department said.
Police said that Chevy Silverado pickup trucks from 2000 through 2006 were the most common target.
It was not immediately clear what was driving the increase in stolen vehicles locally as detectives continue to investigate, LBPD spokeswoman Allison Gallagher said, but more cases of stolen car parts, particularly catalytic converters—a device that controls exhaust emissions—have also been recently popping up around the country.
The New York Times reported last month that police nationwide were seeing increases in stolen catalytic converters. The Times reported that stricter car emissions rules around the world contributed to an increase in costs for the metals found within the car part, making the converters more valuable.
Gallagher could not immediately confirm if people trying to sell stolen car parts for profit was a reason for the increase in Long Beach.
Gallagher said the department wanted to make the public aware of the increase in stolen vehicles in order to prevent others from becoming victims of the crime.
⚠️We have seen a recent 57% increase in grand theft auto, especially of early 2000s Chevy Silverados.
📞 We ask the community that if you see something, say something by reporting suspicious activity to police dispatch at (562)435-6711.
➡️Swipe for safety tips. #LBPDSafety pic.twitter.com/9I1bXWxZ4Q— Long Beach PD (CA) (@LBPD) March 2, 2021
To report a stolen vehicle, people can call the department’s non-emergency line at 562-435-6711 to file a report with an officer. All stolen vehicle reports have to be signed by the victim or the person reporting the stolen car, according to the LBPD.
In the social media post, the department shared some tips to prevent having a vehicle stolen. Parking the car near a motion-activated light or camera could help deter a potential car thief.
Alongside property crimes, violent crimes also increased in the month of January this year when compared to 2020, including shootings. In the first month of 2021, 24 people were either wounded or killed by gunfire, the highest monthly number in at least five years.