La. vehicle thefts down 42% in 5 years through ’11

The number of vehicles reported stolen in Louisiana declined just shy of 42% over a five-year period from 2006 through 2011, Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon says. Citing the recently released FBI Uniform Crime Report, Donelon’s office reports 15,640 vehicles stolen in 2006, compared to 9,123 in 2011. “We are pleased that we continue to see progress since, in addition to the trauma such instances inflict on vehicle owners, motor vehicle theft is one of several factors considered by insurance companies when setting our auto insurance premiums,” Donelon notes in a prepared statement, adding: “Still too many cars are being stolen each year.” The latest figures come as the Louisiana Department of Insurance and the Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority are launching a new statewide public awareness campaign to combat vehicle theft and fraud, Donelon says. Billboard and radio ads will be used to spread the message of how to avoid auto theft and burglaries, he says, as well as address the impact of insurance fraud and how to report it. You can see the ads at the Department of Insurance’s website here.