Crime & Safety

No Stolen Vehicles Found During Surprise Inspections on Route 1 in Elkridge, Jessup

A recent inspection revealed no stolen vehicles or parts at auto shops on Washington Boulevard in Howard County, said police.

Auto stores in Elkridge and Jessup came up clean when law enforcement officials investigated them last week for stolen vehicles and parts, said police.

The Howard County police, Motor Vehicle Administration and Baltimore Regional Auto Theft Task Force conducted the sweep of approximately 15 businesses along Washington Boulevard on June 1, said Elizabeth Schroen, spokeswoman for the Howard County Police Department.

The Route 1 corridor was selected for the inspections because "it's a major throughway with a number of auto businesses," said Schroen. In addition, she said that proximity to both major highways and the port of Baltimore made the Howard County area a potential target for illegitimate auto traders.

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Officials checked more than 200 vehicles to ensure they were not stolen, according to a press release about the inspection. They found no stolen parts or vehicles and fewer than five record-keeping violations, said officials.

The program was “proactive” and “not directly related to any recent intelligence,” said Schroen. “It’s something we’ve done in the past and we’re starting up again."

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Auto theft has been decreasing in the county over the past few years, according to Schroen. She said in 2008, there were 512 vehicles reported stolen; in 2009, there were 387; and in 2010, there were 380. 

Most vehicle thefts in the county occur in the east, the Howard County Times reported last year, due in part to the accessibility of highways and population density there, said officials quoted in the article.

Schroen said the inspections will continue unannounced at various auto repair and auction shops throughout the county.


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