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Show 22.751 AUTOS ARE STOLEN H 58 CITIES Careful chocking of figures from all parts of the country show that during a period of nine months, in fifty of the largest cities of the United States, 22,750 motor cars were stolen, and of S000 no traco has ever been found. Figuring tho average cost of these at $450 per car, the total value of lost property would be $3,600,000. The S000 cars represent at least 4 per cent of tho total number of cars manufactured In 1917. This may not seem like a large percentage, per-centage, but let us look at the economic econo-mic side of the thing: Here wo have 22,750 cars stolen, , S00O of which are unrecovered. Taking these figures as they stand: 18000 cars unrecovered $3,600,000 Estimated damage to 14,500 recovered cars at $75 each 1.0S7.500 Estimated rewards paid for recovery of 1-1,500 cars at $50 each 725,000 Estimated expense from tho public treasury in recovery of 14,500 cars at $50 each 725,000 Estimated cost of maintenance mainten-ance of bureaus in salaries salar-ies and expenso in obtaining obtain-ing evidence, etc. . 100,000 Grand total of $6,237,500 This is for only fifty of tho largest cities of the United States. There are at least 125 cities more whose population popu-lation is between 25,000 and 100.000 and which can well be taken into account. ac-count. As statistics have recently shown an alarming loss by theft, these losses may well bo considered, as their total population is a little over one-third. Estimating their total as one-third, and beginning from that basis, we would have a total of $2,070,166 loss for these 125 cities, which would bring a. grand total on account of automobile automo-bile thievery to $S,316,666. As these figures have been computed com-puted upon the lowest possible basis, we can easily realize the enormitv of the thing, W. E. Metzger, President Detroit Automobilo club. |