KUALA LUMPUR, 10 May 2023: The Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia (VTREC) embarked on vehicle theft engagement related to auto fraud, and organised a live webinar entitled “Vehicle Theft and Fraud” for the publics. The webinar was hosted by VTREC with the co-operation of International Association of Auto Theft Investigators as part of VTREC’s role in engaging the stakeholders in combating vehicle theft crime other than creating awareness towards the public. Despite a reduction of vehicle theft cases nationwide by 0.3%, vehicle theft still a concern given that fraud-related cases have been showing escalating. The public engagement webinar aimed to create awareness among the public on vehicle theft and auto fraud.
Opening Remarks was delivered by Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid, Co-ordinator of Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia (VTREC), during the International Webinar “Vehicle Theft and Fraud”
The moderator of the event Puan Mas Tina begins the session by welcoming all the Panellists and participants, a brief introduction, highlighting the objectives of the webinar and housekeeping of the Panellists. In the introduction, the moderator also captured the participant’s attention by bringing forward the uprising number of cases involving vehicle theft records by vehicle class 2022 vs 2021, Puan Mas Tina mentioned “comparing 2022 against 2021, overall vehicle theft in Malaysia demonstrated a reduction by 0.3%. She said, “according to insurance claims statistics, in overall 2022 vehicle theft accounts for a total of 4,103 stolen vehicles (with breakdown: private car 1,640 thefts, motorcycle 2,223 thefts and comm vehicle 240 thefts) compared to 4,114 total thefts in 2021. However, when we took a closer analysis of the data, Toyota Hilux recorded a profound increased by 117%.” Vehicle theft are often linked to wider organised crime networks and even more prevalent comparing one country to another. Countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia for instant shown an increase record of vehicle theft cases.
Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid drove the participant into the vehicle theft status in the country with overall recorded a reduction by 0.3% in 2022 compared to previous year
Puan Mas Tina shared with the participants on Vehicle Theft Statistics, 2022 vs 2021
In the bid of understanding the new challenges and knowledge in the latest vehicle theft and fraud related, the webinar brought together a list of experts from four corners of the world to discuss on an interesting topic “Vehicle Theft and Fraud”. The panellists discussed their points, strategies and way forward in embracing the latest approach and strategies to put brake on crime of vehicle theft.
The discussion took place on various contexts concerning the statistics and number of cases for vehicle theft and frauds among others discussion of issues surrounding crime of vehicle theft, cloned vehicles and insurance frauds from multi-dimensional perspective includes financial and psychological effects on victims, knowledge sharing on the latest information about rapid improved vehicle technology for the past 30 years and updated information on others countries state or government legislation and law/improved enforcement and administration and effective prosecution in combating vehicle theft and frauds.
The panellists include the following, with Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid (Co-ordinator of Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia (VTREC) moderated the session:
- Mr Mike Briggs (United Kingdom)
Managing Director, VSST Limited (former Vehicle Security Manager of Thatcham Research), United Kingdom, who had working experience of over 39 years in the automotive industry and 22 years of it is being at the insurer’s research centre. Mr Briggs led his team for many years, opening new paths while developing new ideas and solutions for vehicle theft prevention as well as vehicle security on a global scale.
- Prof Dr Baskaran Angathevar (Malaysia)
Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Professor Angathevar is also the Head of University of Malaya North-South Research Centre (UMNSRC). He has produced over 100 publications (books, journals and articles) and undertaken research projects for UNESCO, OECD, European Commission and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
- Mr Iain McKinlay (Scotland)
Chairperson of The National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners (NASVE), Scotland Police, Scotland, United Kingdom which was formed through an agreement with representatives and qualified examiners from the following police forces and vehicle manufacturers, among others is to produce QSVE (Qualified Stolen Vehicle Examiners) that are well trained and educated officers.
- Mr Patrick Betfjord (Sweden)
Chief Executive Officer of Betfjord Digital Labs, Sweden with the main objective to help customers investigate automotive fraud and works with car manufacturers to improve security. Mr Betfjord is the forensic expert for the Europol investigations in Lithuania, uncovering stolen cars. He also has more than 10 years’ experience in the insurance industry and law enforcement aside from being an educator for 7 years teaching automotive theft methods to many organisations around the globe.
The First Panellist, Mr Mike Briggs (United Kingdom) introduced VSST (Vehicle Security Solutions Today) which was formed at the request of the UK Government and National Chief Police Council. The aim was to try and bring together a tracking system called TASSA in the automotive industry into a database for a better future policing in terms of tracking, health and safety, public safety, data access and liability.
Mr Mike Briggs delivering his presentation on deterring vehicle theft and perpetrators’ Modus Operandi
Mr Briggs shared the current scenario of stolen vehicles in the United Kingdom by the fixed time-frame between of 2002 until 2022 (over the past 20 years). The correlation between the United Kingdom’s Lockdown dates against vehicle theft cases recorded were among the relist input for knowledge. The thefts increase as travel restriction are lifted and drops as the travel restriction is applied. He emphasised innovation as a key to combat modern theft methods and we must have standard training and to actively promote awareness among the public and agencies to curb vehicle theft.
Second Panellist, Prof Dr Baskaran Angathevar (Malaysia) highlighted among others the adverse effects caused by vehicle theft including financial effects and psychological effects on victims in the cases of vehicle theft. The financial costs to vehicle theft victims may include direct uninsured financial losses experienced by victims, the opportunity cost of the time taken to deal with the crime and the opportunity cost of the temporary unavailability of a vehicle of which bring multiple miseries to the victims’ financial standing especially to those from lower bracket of income and those depending on the stolen vehicle to move around.
Prof Dr Baskaran Angathevar explained the suffering and adverse effects concerning financial condition and psychological condition on victims of vehicle theft crime
From another perspective, the psychological effects on victims of vehicle theft can be traumatic emotional experiences and can result in a very time-consuming and frustrating process. Unlike financial costs, psychological costs are not easily quantifiable. He also shared that research on the psychological effects of car theft which carried out by TRACKER Network shows that negative emotions, stress and disruption to daily routines caused by crime can take their toll on a victim’s health.
Third Panellist, Mr Iain McKinlay (Scotland, UK) highlighted on the lack of awareness of vehicle theft issue that leads to failures in tackling this problem. He explained to the audience on United Kingdom Government VCRAT 5-year plan (1999 – 2004) to reduce vehicle crime by 30% with centralised coordination of various stakeholders such as enforcement agencies, manufacturers, and academicians or experts.
Mr Iain McKinley delivering his presentation on the government of the UK pertaining VCRAT 5-year plan (1999 – 2004) to reduce vehicle crime by 30% including fraud and crack down on stripping and internet sales site
During the webinar, Mr McKinlay revealed the truth behind vehicle theft and why we need to combat it universally. Hr shared a total of 101,198 vehicles were stolen in England and Wales in 2021. The loss to the insurer was upwards of 1.44 billion pound sterling. Organised vehicle crime is believed to account for the 72% of unrecovered thefts.
Final Panellist, Mr Patrick Betfjord (Sweden) drove his presentation concerning on fast-moving pace of new technological inventions and how it affects vehicle theft and fraud approach which the thieves leveraging on the technology shift. Technology shifted incredibly fast nowadays, with the amount and speed of change having entirely altered the world we live in apparently contributed to latest thieves modus operandi. Given the case of vehicle theft through cloning the car key for instant. The technology has been moving from car with a transponder to the current keyless TOF. This makes the vehicle theft can be made through technological devices. Mr Betfjord also shares the statistics graph on vehicle theft crime in Sweden.
Mr Patrick Betfjord drove his presentation concerning technological devices and invention of new vehicle theft use by organised vehicle theft syndicate
.
The webinar went smoothly with positive output. Over 300 participants from multiple backgrounds both government agencies and non-government agencies attended the “Vehicle Theft and Fraud” webinar organised by VTREC with the co-operation of IAATI, the webinar can be streamed via VTREC Facebook Live as well.
During the event, there were many questions forwarded by the participants for panellists to answer among others were about the legal actions taken against vehicle theft criminals in the UK and Sweden, what kind of advanced system used by the police in UK that can be implemented in Malaysia, what are the statistics of smuggling and cloned vehicles crime in Netherlands and many more.
The Moderator, Puan Mas Tina Abdul Hamid concluded the webinar by thanking all Panellists, Participants, VTREC Team and Mediamate Team for making the webinar a success
Encik Muhammad Alif Mohd Adnan, as the MC of the webinar thanked all panellists and participants for their interest in the topic and time spent listening to the webinar.
Participants were very active throughout the whole webinar session asking questions which show attentive listening to all the sharing that have been put forward by all the panellists. The webinar came to an end with a Group Photo session after all the panellists have said their final words and a simple wrap-up from the moderator.
VTREC thanked the panellists, participants for their collaboration and their active participation in making the webinar a success.
Puan Nur Alwanie Iberahim of VTREC as the person-in-charge of the webinar
Encik Hilal Azman Idris of VTREC assisted the webinar
