What’s behind WA’s car theft spike? Simple: the liberal law limiting police pursuits

A member of my family belongs to a group that’s growing at a record rate, even though no one wants to join it: people in Washington who have become victims of vehicle theft in the past year.

For him it happened in February, when 4,097 vehicles were swiped in our state.

Through the first half of this year, according to data provided by the Washington Crime Information Center (WACIC), 23,212 vehicles were stolen in Washington. That’s more than 99% of total auto thefts for all of 2019. It’s more than 87% of the total stolen in 2020. It’s also an 81.5% increase over the first half of 2021.

The reason for this shocking increase is obvious: one of the controversial anti-police laws that took effect a year ago, which essentially banned police pursuits.

Thieves quickly took full advantage of the new restrictions. For October, vehicle thefts were more than double the 1,691 reported in June 2021, the last full month before the law changed. The average for the past nine months is more than 3,500 vehicles stolen per month. There’s never been a streak like that.

What else do we know now that the anti-pursuit restrictions have reached the one-year mark?

Washington’s five most populous counties accounted for 70% of the car thefts through June. Pierce County ranks worst in per capita terms; with 4,984 thefts and a population of approximately 937,400, that’s one car stolen for every 188 residents. While King County recorded the most auto thefts (8,008), it ranks a distant third once its much-larger population (2,317,000) is factored in, equaling one auto theft per 289 residents.

The 4,000-theft mark had never been topped until January, as legislators began meeting in session. It happened again in February. March set a record of 4,249. For a moment, it seemed action might be taken to address the mistakes in the 2021 policy.

In early February the Senate passed legislation to restore a “reasonable suspicion” standard to the rule about vehicle pursuits. While the 31-18 vote wasn’t close, there were signs of trouble: Although Pierce, King and Snohomish are among the five worst counties for car thefts, 16 of the 18 senators serving part or all of those counties opposed the sensible reform in Senate Bill 5919.

Less than a week before the session’s March 10 end, the House finally passed a modified version of SB 5919 with a very bipartisan 86-12 vote. When that bill returned to our chamber for further consideration … nothing. No final vote was allowed, killing the legislation.

Compare that to 2007, when — after vehicle thefts began to exceed 3,300 per month more often than not — a bipartisan bill to toughen penalties for car thieves passed overwhelmingly in both chambers.

Look, I realize car thefts are officially considered property crimes. I know there are people who believe property crimes are no big deal because no one gets hurt or killed.

But here’s the reality: property crime can be as life-changing than violent crime. I don’t know a worker or family who can truly afford all the disruptions that come with losing a reliable car.

The car stolen from my family member was found, looking like it had been through a demolition derby. It was towed to a wrecking yard, for a big fee, and the insurance company paid nothing toward a replacement. After owning an economical car free and clear, he was forced to borrow vehicles to get to work, then take on a new and unexpected long-term financial obligation. What a pain — not for the thief, who wasn’t caught, only the victim.

Anyone who follows the news knows about the staffing shortages plaguing local law-enforcement agencies, and the sharp rise in not only property crime but also violent crime. I believe both are due largely to the anti-police policy changes of 2021.

SB 5919 was a modest move toward reestablishing a sense of security in our communities, yet the opposition to it was led by lawmakers whose constituents are more likely to have their vehicles stolen. That’s troubling, and raises questions about priorities.

As the record wave of vehicle thefts continues, and the restrictions on pursuing suspected thieves move into a second year, I can only hope my colleagues in the next Legislature will join me to make things right.

Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, represents the 18th Legislative District in southwest Washington.

This story was originally published July 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What’s behind WA’s car theft spike? Simple: the liberal law limiting police pursuits."