First 5 months of 2008, auto theft was down 43.9% in Winnipeg

[bomberguy]

As auto theft continues to decline across the province, Manitoba Public Insurance is seeking a one per cent overall reduction in Autopac rates for the 2009/10 insurance year.
In its rate application filed today with the Public Utilities Board, the public auto insurer said the rate decrease is possible despite lower investment returns and higher expenses. Much of the credit goes to the dramatic downturn in auto theft. Thefts in the province have fallen by 40 per cent since 2004 and are expected to decrease by another 40 per cent by the end of next year.
This is the second rate decrease in three years, driven in part by reductions in auto theft. In 2007/08 Manitobans enjoyed an overall 2.6 per cent rate decrease, based largely on the expected results of anti-theft strategies.
"Over 300,000 vehicles in the province now have approved immobilizers, and Manitobans are beginning to reap the financial benefits,” President and Chief Executive Officer Marilyn McLaren said.
For the first five months of 2008, auto theft was down 43.9 per cent in Winnipeg, and 40.7 per cent overall for the province.
The resulting drop in claims costs is arriving just in time to help offset emerging financial pressures. In addition to slow investment markets, the corporation faces rising reinsurance costs, which have increased by approximately $1 million per year. The corporation continues to increase its level of protection for large catastrophic losses such as last summer’s hailstorm in the Dauphin area.
As Manitobans put more vehicles on the road, the corporation is seeing an increase in both revenues and expenses. The fleet experienced unprecedented growth of 3.17 per cent in 2007/08, which has resulted in higher premium and expense forecasts compared to last year’s rate application.
While the corporation is not applying for additional revenue in this rate application, some customers will pay more due to adjustments applied to various rate groups. Most vehicles will see their premiums change by less than $20 up or down. The average passenger vehicle premium will be $853.
The proposed rates would be effective March 1, 2009, but because renewal dates are staggered some vehicle owners wouldn’t pay the new rates until February 28, 2010.

http://www.mpi.mb.ca/english/newsroo..._Jun13_08.html

[newflyer]

Overall this is a good trend .. lets hope it continues.

[1ajs]

nothing would of changed if we did not have imoblizers though

[myshtern]

Are there any predictions as to what caused it?

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by myshtern

Are there any predictions as to what caused it?

the drope is because high theft prone cars were mandated by the province to have manditory imoblizers installed or be taken off the road.....

as for why we have this problem board kids with nothing to do and parents that don't care period!

[ReginaGuy]

Also, all it takes is for the cops to catch ONE car thief, and the number of stolen cars will drop substantially.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by ReginaGuy

Also, all it takes is for the cops to catch ONE car thief, and the number of stolen cars will drop substantially.

does not help they are released within a couple hours of being arested... they don't care (the theifs i mean joy riders what ever yea wana call them)

[viperred88]

so its down but now we got thieves running over cops with there stolen cars. Whats with youth this day and age.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by viperred88

so its down but now we got thieves running over cops with there stolen cars. Whats with youth this day and age.

and when they can't steel the car they just trash it to hell

[newflyer]

Its too bad that our legal system doesn't see to it that criminals face punishments for there actions.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by newflyer

Its too bad that our legal system doesn't see to it that criminals face punishments for there actions.

all lvls of gov are at fault there

[Boreal]

I only hope that in the near future we can have an elected senate. What will that do for criminal justice? Nothing, but it is the one step that needs to happen before we start electing our judges. Right now, its nothing more than patronizing who you know. It's disgusting.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by Jeff1987

I only hope that in the near future we can have an elected senate. What will that do for criminal justice? Nothing, but it is the one step that needs to happen before we start electing our judges. Right now, its nothing more than patronizing who you know. It's disgusting.

Judges don't make the law, elected or not. That's up to our legislators.

[Boreal]

Very true. And perhaps - sadly - it needs to be somebody of that legislative stature who has to have a loved one run over before they are willing to crack down on crime in terms of harsh punishment. It would be pretty heart breaking, but perhaps a local legislator needs to have tragedy strike close to home before he or she comes to realize what kind of pain and suffering can be prevented.

And on this note, if I have to read one more story about the rogue couple that is Sel Burrows and his wife, I will go nutty. I understand their intentions are good, but their methods are just due-left of the counterculture. His wife wants to have thieves be put to work repairing vehicles and then take that repaired vehicled into a destruction derby to ruin his work, and this is supposed to be "punishment". Wow! As for Mr. Burrows, he pretends to buy crack-coccaine from local dealers, negotiates a price and then walks away and wonders why trouble finds him. Does this not sound crazy to anybody else but me? ...I suppose if any verification is needed, Gordon Sinclair thinks these two are real trail blazers.

Another sad case in point, is that jogger who got hit by a speeding, uncontrolled stolen vehicle in River Heights last year, and our system had the gall to say, "well, he probably shouldn't have been running on the street." Perhaps not, but is that really even an issue when the fabric at hand consists entirely of grand theft auto. We blame the victim. It's beyond rediculous.

A wise man once told me, "People may say that harsh punishment is not a way to deal with crime, but you certainly don't ever see the military out of order."

I apologize for turning this into a bit of a rant, but we've been trying to hug criminals and tell them to run along and be good boys and girls for far, far, far too long.