Nationally vehicle theft is associated with approximately 40 fatalities per year with an estimated annual cost of one billion dollars. During 2000 - 2001 almost 139,000 motor vehicles (cars, motor cycles, campervans, and trucks) were stolen across Australia. Vehicle theft is an overwhelmingly adolescent male crime yet gender has not been considered in either policy or program initiatives.----- This thesis used Spence's Multifactorial Gender Identity theory to examine the relationships between vehicle theft, offending, and adolescent male gender identity. Four central research questions were posed:----- 1. Is vehicle theft a gendered behaviour, that is, do some adolescent males engage in vehicle theft to create a particular adolescent male gender identity?----- 2. Do vehicle theft offenders engage in other offending behaviours?----- 3. Are these other offences also used to create a particular adolescent male gender identity and----- 4. Will the use of a variety of gender-related scales to measure gender identity support Spence's Multifactorial Gender Identity Theory that gender identity is multifactorial?----- Study One Parts A and B provided the empirical basis for Studies Two and Three. Part A of Study One examined the &quotmaleness" of vehicle theft and two other problem behaviours: problem drinking and traffic offence involvement. Cross-sectional and longitudinal methodologies were used to investigate a representative sample of 4,529 male high school students in relation to vehicle theft, problem drinking, and traffic offence involvement as a novice driver. Results indicated that &quotmaleness" was significantly related to vehicle theft, problem drinking, and traffic offence involvement. Subsequent analyses, based on Jessor's Problem Behaviour Theory, found a significant relationship between vehicle theft offenders and problem drinking. Study One Part B examined the relationship between masculinity as measured by the Australian Sex Role Scale (ASRS) and problem drinking in a rural sample of 1,248 male high school students. Using a cross sectional methodology, Masculine students were more likely than students in the other gender trait groups to report a range of problem drinking behaviours. Contrary to previous research, both socially desirable and socially undesirable masculine traits were significantly related to most problem drinking behaviours.----- Having established significant relationships between &quotmaleness" and vehicle theft and masculinity and the adolescent problem behaviour of underage drinking, Study Two qualitatively examined the perceptions of adolescent males with histories of vehicle theft in relation to &quotdoing masculinity". Using semi-structured interviews, 30 adolescent males, clients of the juvenile justice system were asked &quotwhat do you have to do to be a man?" Vehicle theft was clearly identified as a masculine defining behaviour as were other offending behaviours. Overall, participants nominated very traditional behaviours such as having a job and providing financially for families as essential behaviours in &quotdoing masculinity". It was suggested that in the absence of legal options for creating a masculine gender identity, some adolescent males adopted more readily accessed illegal options. Study Two also canvassed the driving behaviour of adolescent males in stolen vehicles. Crash involvement was not uncommon. Speed, alcohol, and the presence of other adolescent males were consistent characteristics of their driving behaviour. Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants were similar in their responses.----- Study Three compared the gender identity of offender and non-offender adolescent males as measured by three gender-related measures: the ASRS, the Toughness Subscale of the Male Role Norm Scale (TSMRNS) and the Doing Masculinity Composite Scale (DMCS). While the ASRS measured gender traits, the TSMRNS measured masculinity ideology. The DMCS was developed from the responses of participants in Study Two and sought to measure how participants &quotdo masculinity". Analyses indicated vehicle theft was endorsed by just over a third of the sample as a masculine defining behaviour. Overall, offenders were again very traditional in the behaviours they endorsed. When compared to non-offenders, offenders were more likely to endorse illegal behaviours in &quotdoing masculinity" while non-offenders were more likely to endorse legal behaviours. Both offenders and non-offenders strongly endorsed having a car and the ability to drive as masculine defining behaviours.----- In relation to gender traits, non-offenders were more likely than offenders to be classified as Masculine by the ASRS. Surprisingly offenders were more likely to be classified as Androgynous. In relation to masculinity ideology, offenders and non-offenders were similar in their results on the TSMRNS however offenders were more likely to endorse beliefs concerning the need to be tough. Overall Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders were similar in their responses though Indigenous males were more likely to endorse beliefs concerning the need to be tough. Spence's Multifactorial Gender Identity theory was supported in that the relations between the three gender-related measures were significant but low.----- Results confirmed that vehicle theft was endorsed by a minority of participants as a gendered behaviour. Other offending behaviours were also endorsed by some adolescent males as means to create masculine gender identity. Importantly though both offenders and non-offenders endorsed very traditional behaviours in relation to &quotdoing masculinity". The implications for policy and program initiatives include the acknowledgement of gender identity as an important component in relation to vehicle theft and offending and the desire of adolescent male offenders to engage in legal, traditional male behaviours. In the absence of legal avenues however, some adolescent males may use illegal behaviours to create gender identity. Cars and driving also feature as important components of gender identity for both offenders and non-offenders and these needs to be considered in relation to road safety initiatives.

Motor vehicle theft is the costliest property crime in the United States equaling billions of dollars in losses each year. Despite law enforcement success in decreasing the rate of motor vehicle theft in recent years, the actual number of thefts has increased. It is vital for law enforcement agencies to know who is committing motor vehicle theft and where vehicles are being stolen. This study answers these questions by examining offender demographic characteristics and the location types most targeted for motor vehicle theft in Texas from 2001 to 2005. The state of Texas was chosen because Texas has continually been ranked second in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report for the number of reported incidents of motor vehicle theft in the United States.

Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 1999. / This investigation entails a study of motor vehicle theft and hijacking in KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape for the period of 1 January till 31 December 1995. The present study is empirically founded and for this purpose an information schedule has been implemented to capture data from police case dossiers for statistical analysis and description. Data forthcoming from a previous Honours study in the Westem-Cape have also been incorporated for comparison purposes. The sample consists of 1331 cases of motor vehicle theft and hijacking in KwaZulu-Natal, while 372 cases in Western Cape were included in this investigation. Key findings emanating from this investigation are as follows: (1) White male victims in the age category 31-35 years were the most victimised through motor vehicle theft and hijacking in both Provinces. (2) The profile of the average offender of motor vehicle theft and hijacking comprises an unemployed African male person between 21-40 years. (3) The temporal frequency indicates that most people in KwaZulu-Natal were victimised during March, August and October, while October, September and May caused the most suffering for victims in the Western Cape. Thursdays and specifically early mornings in KwaZulu-Natal seems to be the most popular for motor vehicle theft and hijacking. In the Western Cape this tendency peaked in the early mornings of Fridays. (4) Toyota followed by Mazda, Nissan / Datsun and Ford sedan vehicles were the most popular objects for motor thieves and hijackers. The following recommendation have been made: (1) Greater community involvement in the prevention of these types of crime has become inevitable. In this regard empowerment of local communities through Community Police Forums could play an important role. Such involvement could stimulate greater crime awareness among the community. Shared responsibility as far as the security of people and their property is concerned, could positively influence successful order maintenance. (2) Security measures which including the installation of anti-theft devices should be prioritised by the public. (3) Specialised Vehicle Theft Units should, in the light of the low percentage motor vehicle theft cases referred to courts, be more efficient - considering the availability of modern technology. (4) Police involvement in crime syndicates should receive serious attention and, were applicable, be totally eliminated (5) Progress without research is futile. Greater liaison between the police and tertiary institutions (Criminology departments and the Technikon SA) will do much to stimulate scientific research in the interest of successful policing.

Considering the extent of the motor vehicle theft (MVT) problem, it is surprising that there is such a dearth of studies on these crimes at the neighborhood level. In 2008, nearly one million vehicles, valued at 6.4 billion dollars, were reported stolen in the United States. Additionally, only half of these stolen vehicles were ever recovered. The purpose of this study is to increase the limited knowledge base on the characteristics of neighborhoods that predict MVT levels. Its focus is on the identification of specific types of land use that increase MVT levels, net the impact of sociodemographics, as posited by the opportunity theories of rational choice, routine activities, and crime pattern theory. The study site is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with its 1816 census block groups serving as the unit of analysis. The percentage of total land area for each block group utilized by various theorized criminogenic land uses is determined by Geographic Information System (GIS). Evaluated land uses include shopping centers, bars, high schools, colleges, parking lots, youth hangouts, and single family homes. A `proximity space' variable is also computed consisting of the percentage of block group area that is located within one street block of the combined criminogenic land uses. Its usefulness is in determining whether the impact of crime-producing land uses spreads into the surrounding neighborhood. Negative binomial regression models test various hypotheses around the general research question "After controlling for socio-structural correlates, is the presence of certain land uses predictive of MVT levels found at the neighborhood level?" Results demonstrate that land use, both independently and through neighborhood demographic structure, promotes or suppresses MVT levels, a finding consistent with opportunity theories. Specifically, the percentage of land use in block groups utilized by shopping centers, bars, and commercial parking lots is related to higher MVT counts, but that utilized by colleges and single family homes predicts lower MVT counts, net the impact of neighborhood sociodemographics. Interaction models demonstrate that SES, racial heterogeneity, single-parent families, and percentage 15-24 year olds moderate the impact of land use on MVT. Findings are relevant to urban planners, crime practitioners, and crime theorists. / Criminal Justice

Thesis (Ph. D. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The research concerned with the aim of this study, was to assess the appli-cation of intelligence-driven investigation in combating organised motor vehicle theft. The strategic intelligence plan, information sharing and understanding of or-ganised vehicle theft, are some of approaches which will assist in dealing with the challenge of the illegal sale of vehicles and vehicle parts. There is indeed a need to address police corruption, if the battle against vehicle theft is to be realised. The objectives of this study were the following: to explain the strategic intelli-gence plan for investigating motor vehicle theft; to evaluate whether investiga-tions of organised motor vehicle theft in Thohoyandou cluster are intelligence-driven; to assess if the cluster uses intelligence offender profiling in investi-gations; to explore how intelligence-driven investigation assists in information sharing; and, to make recommendations for the improvement of intelligence-driven vehicle theft investigation. The researcher wanted to apply new research knowledge, in order to develop good practice in the field. This has been done by recommending new proced-ures to enhance performance and to improve the ways and means of combating organised vehicle theft. KEY TERMS Intelligence-driven investigation; strategic intelligence; intelligence cycle; crime investigations; modus operandi; offender profiling; organised crime; systems theory; motor vehicle theft; information sharing.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The research concerned with the aim of this study, was to assess the appli-cation of intelligence-driven investigation in combating organised motor vehicle theft. The strategic intelligence plan, information sharing and understanding of or-ganised vehicle theft, are some of approaches which will assist in dealing with the challenge of the illegal sale of vehicles and vehicle parts. There is indeed a need to address police corruption, if the battle against vehicle theft is to be realised. The objectives of this study were the following: to explain the strategic intelli-gence plan for investigating motor vehicle theft; to evaluate whether investiga-tions of organised motor vehicle theft in Thohoyandou cluster are intelligence-driven; to assess if the cluster uses intelligence offender profiling in investi-gations; to explore how intelligence-driven investigation assists in information sharing; and, to make recommendations for the improvement of intelligence-driven vehicle theft investigation. The researcher wanted to apply new research knowledge, in order to develop good practice in the field. This has been done by recommending new proced-ures to enhance performance and to improve the ways and means of combating organised vehicle theft. KEY TERMS Intelligence-driven investigation; strategic intelligence; intelligence cycle; crime investigations; modus operandi; offender profiling; organised crime; systems theory; motor vehicle theft; information sharing.

International police co-operation is a recipe for success in the fight against transnational organised crime. Such cooperation has never been without challenges, especially in the light of disharmonious national laws. SARPCCO has made promising advances towards the elimination of blockages which hamper police cooperation. The joint, bilateral, simultaneous operations which are continuously carried out and the transferring of skills through training are exemplary to the rest of the world. SARPCCO is, however, struggling to make serious inroads into the organised motor vehicle theft because of the problems in returning them to their lawful owners. The objective of this study is to analyse the laws used by the SARPCCO member countries in fighting motor vehicle theft, transnational organised crime, recoveries, repatriation, prosecution and extradition of offenders. The SARPCCO member countries on which the analysis is done are Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. / Jurisprudence / LL. M.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was formed in 1994 after the integration of different “defence forces” into one large force. The sole existence of the SANDF is to protect the borders of the Republic of South Africa and its inhabitants. Resources such as vehicles make it easier for the SANDF to conduct mobile patrols and other operations to ensure that the organisation is always combat-ready. Motor vehicle theft is a crime that affects both individual citizens and organisations in South Africa; the SANDF is not immune to the crime. Many SANDF motor vehicles are stolen almost every day, and in most cases, these vehicles are taken without a trace. While there are security measures in place aimed at preventing theft of SANDF vehicles but these methods have proven futile. A literature review formed the basis of the study. Once the main theory and ideologies were identified, unstructured interviews were undertaken to gather information from various stakeholders. Observations were also conducted to determine behavioural patterns within military bases/units with regard to the parking of SANDF vehicles, even when the vehicles were parked in urban settings. Essentially, there is a problem regarding the security of SANDF vehicles and also the security within military bases / units. This study indicated that the SANDF loses vast amounts of money due to motor vehicle theft in Gauteng Province. The findings also revealed that the current vehicle security measures are outdated, ineffective and inadequate in preventing SANDF vehicles from being stolen. The recommendations are that the SANDF must invest more of its budget on vehicle security, rather than continuing with fruitless and monetary expenditure by conducting Board of Inquiries (BOI) or lengthy investigations in an attempt to relocate stolen vehicles or to determine how a particular vehicle was stolen. The SANDF requires a comprehensive system that should prevent the theft of its vehicles, as well as curbing the misuse of vehicles which ultimately renders SANDF vehicles as easy targets. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was formed in 1994 after the integration of different “defence forces” into one large force. The sole existence of the SANDF is to protect the borders of the Republic of South Africa and its inhabitants. Resources such as vehicles make it easier for the SANDF to conduct mobile patrols and other operations to ensure that the organisation is always combat-ready. Motor vehicle theft is a crime that affects both individual citizens and organisations in South Africa; the SANDF is not immune to the crime. Many SANDF motor vehicles are stolen almost every day, and in most cases, these vehicles are taken without a trace. While there are security measures in place aimed at preventing theft of SANDF vehicles but these methods have proven futile. A literature review formed the basis of the study. Once the main theory and ideologies were identified, unstructured interviews were undertaken to gather information from various stakeholders. Observations were also conducted to determine behavioural patterns within military bases/units with regard to the parking of SANDF vehicles, even when the vehicles were parked in urban settings. Essentially, there is a problem regarding the security of SANDF vehicles and also the security within military bases / units. This study indicated that the SANDF loses vast amounts of money due to motor vehicle theft in Gauteng Province. The findings also revealed that the current vehicle security measures are outdated, ineffective and inadequate in preventing SANDF vehicles from being stolen. The recommendations are that the SANDF must invest more of its budget on vehicle security, rather than continuing with fruitless and monetary expenditure by conducting Board of Inquiries (BOI) or lengthy investigations in an attempt to relocate stolen vehicles or to determine how a particular vehicle was stolen. The SANDF requires a comprehensive system that should prevent the theft of its vehicles, as well as curbing the misuse of vehicles which ultimately renders SANDF vehicles as easy targets. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

International police co-operation is a recipe for success in the fight against transnational organised crime. Such cooperation has never been without challenges, especially in the light of disharmonious national laws. SARPCCO has made promising advances towards the elimination of blockages which hamper police cooperation. The joint, bilateral, simultaneous operations which are continuously carried out and the transferring of skills through training are exemplary to the rest of the world. SARPCCO is, however, struggling to make serious inroads into the organised motor vehicle theft because of the problems in returning them to their lawful owners. The objective of this study is to analyse the laws used by the SARPCCO member countries in fighting motor vehicle theft, transnational organised crime, recoveries, repatriation, prosecution and extradition of offenders. The SARPCCO member countries on which the analysis is done are Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. / Jurisprudence / LL. M.