Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1920 — EDITOR'S FORD CAR IS STOLEN [ARTICLE]

EDITOR'S FORD CAR IS STOLEN

And a Sermon on Leniency Shown Criminate la Printed. Bro. R. M. Isherwood of the Lafayette Times la offering >SO reward for the recovery of his new Ford sedan (motor No. 8.950.846) stolen from Fifth street in that city a'few nights ago within 20 minutes of the time he had parked it there, and in commenting on the methods of automobile thieves and the leniency shown this gentry by the courts, Mr. laher wood says: Am I sore? Well, I was "just going" to have it. Insured —but didn't 1 think some gentleman once remarked : "He who steals my purse steals trash."And had he lived in this age he might well have added: “He who ’ steals my Ford steals that which is very necessary to my comfort.”

- A detective from a nearby large city tells me the police recover about 80 per cent of the stolen cars, and I hope our Elizabeth gets In that classification eventually, but not as yet. Fryikly, I think the authorities are much to blame for autos that are stolen. This same detective told me that a thief they had convicted and sent to the pen for two to fourteen years had been pardoned after serving a few weeks, and hadn’t been out a month when they -discovered that a large barn on the outskirts of the city which he had rented had in it sixteen stolen machines. He got 'Wind of their coming and escaped. One of the machines recovered was owned by a Dallas, Tex., man. Recently a youth was heroized here. He had been caught in Elizabeth, N. J., with a stolen car —caught tjy accident. After he was caught he got “good”—wanted to come right back here and give himself up and “take his punishment like a man.’’ He appealed to his father, who was a wealthy man, and dad came on and squared all accounts. The youth came back bubbling over with repentance. The grand jury was in session and the grandstand play was made, they pinned a badge on young thief, (so to speak) and sent him back to Elizabeth, N. J., a shining example for other boys to go and steal autos and be forgiven and turned loose to steal more or not, just as their inclinations and necessities direct. > These are but two cases —I could cite you several more, all to the same point. Should the courts convict, the thief is soon paroled and it is little wonder that so many automobiles are stolen.

Stealing Ford cars is a pleasant, profitable and not at all dangerous pastime as the laws now are. All you have to do is watch your victim, where he or she parks the car. See that the owner is engaged, so that you will not be disturbed for a few minutes. Then take the car, drive It to a city where the very respectable dealer “asks no questions,” hut your price. You should get >SOO without question for a 1920 Ford sedan in good shape. The respectable dealer figures it needs some repairs before he can sell it under his guarantee. The first of these is changing the engine number —the tools are near at hand. No second-hand car runs real well under the original engine number. Then the tires are too good for a second-hand car and they are removed and other, older tires, put on. Having a spot-light handy it is thrown in for good measure, and if it carries an extra tire this is removed, for extra tires do not go with Fords. Then a 813.50 safety steering wheel —one that prevents stealing a Ford —is slipped on and the car is ready for sale —possibly to the original owner, if he happened along, for he couldn’t; possibly identify it, and 8675 is the price of it now —“used only by the owner who took excellent care of it.” At that you are saving nearly 8200, which is worth saving in these days. When a Ford sedan is stolen by a professional there Is precious little chance to get the bunch of tin back, but if this one can be recovered, I’ll bet you that Superintendent Scherer and Sheriff Weinhardt get it.