Massachusetts has seen a steady decline in grand theft auto cases since the mid-1970s when it was sometimes referred to as “the country’s car theft capital.” At one point, the parking lot at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, a mall just down the street from our offices, was one of the most notorious aut0 theft spots in the state.
In 2012, Boston alone reported 1,575 stolen vehicles. While this figure is far better than those reported long ago, residents need to take every possible safety precaution to prevent this type of crime.