During the first three months of this year 655 cars were stolen in Warsaw, twenty percent more than in the first quarter of last year.

Warsaw districts most exposed to car theft are Mokotow and Ursynow, where the number of cars stolen increased by 50 percent. Makes of cars most alluring for the thieves are Volkswagons and Toyotas.

According to the police, most cars are stolen by Wolomin and Otwock organized crime groups.

The increase is a reverse of trends in recent years. During the last five years the number of cars stolen has been systematically going down. But now it seems that the trend is reversing.  

Criminologists say that the reason for the sudden increase is that over the last few years a special police unit has been very successful and catching and putting behind bars repeat offenders.

“The reason why so far there were less car thefts is a special police unit that hunts for car thieves and receivers of stolen vehicles who sell car parts”, explains Tomasz Watras form Warsaw police.  

During the last eight years the police have caught 800 car thieves. “Half of them were imprisoned and now, after several years, they are leaving prison and some and returned to stealing cars”, claims Watras. (mg/pg)