IN 1974, APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 109 REGISTERED VEHICLES IN THE UNITED STATES WAS STOLEN. ONLY 69 PERCENT OF THE 965,000 STOLEN VEHICLES WERE RECOVERED. THE UNRECOVERED VEHICLES WERE EITHER STRIPPED OR SOLD IN THE COMMERCIAL MARKET WITH ALTERED IDENTIFICATION. THE OVERALL COST FOR AUTO THEFT IN 1974 EXCEEDED $1 BILLION. AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THEFT PROBLEMS AND OF THE IMPORTANCE OF VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS IN REDUCING AUTO THEFT. IN 1968, MANUFACTURERS BEGAN STAMPING A DERIVATIVE OF THE PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION NUMBER INTO ALL ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS OF PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SECONDARY MARKINGS HAVE RESULTED IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF MANY STOLEN VEHICLES IN WHICH THE PUBLIC NUMBER HAD BEEN CHANGED BY THE THIEF. THE USE OF SECONDARY OR CONFIDENTIAL VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS, THE EXACT LOCATION OF WHICH IS REVEALED ONLY TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND THE NATIONAL, AUTOMOBILE THEFT BUREAU, IS SAID TO BE A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE COOPERATION OF AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS IN COMBATING AUTO THEFT. (LM)