Oxnard police combat vehicle thefts using stickers

Car theft is now becoming a major concern for police in Oxnard.

Since the beginning of the year, OPD has received 600 reports of stolen vehicles and the number keeps rising.

Detectives are responding aggressively and one of those ways is by using a special sticker on your car to help deter thieves. One sticker reads, “This vehicle is under surveillance”.

“It warns would-be thieves that, at any time, we could be watching a particular car especially our target cars,” said Detective Crystal Walker. “We want them to know you might not want to take this car because we may be watching you and you are going to go to jail.”

Walker says some of those target cars are Hondas made between 1990 and 2000.

Walker has been handing out the stickers since last week. She says cars with the sticker will be watched at random by members of the Auto Theft Task Force and other officers.

Oxnard resident, Rigo Chavez received a sticker for his SUV on Wednesday.

“It seems like auto theft is coming back,” said Chavez. “It’s nice, it seems like added security.”

It’s not just stickers; OPD is also planting bait cars equipped with surveillance cameras in areas that are known for theft.

“A thief would definitely know after they get into the vehicle that it actually is a bait car,” said Walker. “It’s so that we can actually get some people into custody.”

700 cars were stolen in Oxnard last year. Walker says that unfortunately, that number could be surpassed this year.

“We’re going to do it through the end of the year and then we are going to reassess to see whether or not we have to up our efforts or if we can draw back a little bit,” said Walker. “At least for the next couple of months we’re going to be on it hard.”