GEICO and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Set Out Bait to Catch Auto Thieves

Catching car thieves sometimes takes more than just patience andpersistence -- it takes bait. For the Oakland County Sheriff's OfficeAuto Theft Task Force in Oakland County, Mich., that bait is aspecially-altered vehicle, donated by GEICO, and strategically placed inhigh-theft areas around the county to catch auto thieves.

The bait car program, which was started in the county earlier this yearafter the sheriff's office noticed an uptick in auto theft throughoutthe area, allows officers to proactively catch car thieves in the act ofstealing the bait car, effectively preventing future residential vehiclethefts.

"Most people who steal these types of vehicles are part of a theft ringthat may be involved in other illegal activity like drugs or carjackings," said Sheriff Michael Bouchard. "By using the bait car we areable to get these people off the street and push down the frequency ofauto theft. Once we get auto theft in an area down, it helps reduceother crimes and helps push insurance rates down."

GEICO constantly works with local law enforcement and community groupsto help reduce auto theft in communities around the nation. In additionto working with Oakland County Sheriff's Office through the bait carprogram, GEICO is also working closely with the department's Auto TheftTask Force to shut down fraudulent insurance card rings that contributeto the county's theft and crime issues.

"Auto theft not only deprives customers of their vehicles, but also putspeople in more danger since people who take stolen cars are ofteninvolved in accidents or other crimes," said Steven Rutzebeck, GEICO'sSpecial Investigations Unit manager. "Bait car donations give us theopportunity to reduce theft, sometimes lowering insurance rates, andincrease public safety in these areas."

For more information on how GEICO is working to combat auto insurancetheft and fraud, visit GEICO's SpecialInvestigations Unit site on www.geico.com.

About GEICO

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the third-largestprivate passenger autoinsurer in the United States based on 2008 market share data asreported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, March2009. GEICO provides autoinsurance coverage for 9 million policyholders and insures more than15 million vehicles.

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