THE METHODS USED IN THIS STUDY WERE COLLECTION OF DATA ON CHARACTERISTICS OF PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS REPORTED AS STOLEN AND UNRECOVERED IN THE COUNTY FROM JANUARY 1, 1977 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1977, MATCHING OF THIS INFORMATION WITH SUCH CHARACTERISTICS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION OF VEHICLES IN THE COUNTY, AND COMPUTER ANALYSIS OF THESE DATA. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT TRUCKS WERE REPORTED AS UNRECOVERED, STOLEN VEHICLES IN SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER FREQUENCIES THAN WERE PASSENGER CARS. YEAR MODEL 1976 VEHICLES WERE STOLEN MORE OFTEN THAN EITHER YEAR MODEL 1975 OR 1977 VEHICLES. GENERAL MOTORS PASSENGER CARS WERE STOLEN MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER TYPES OF CARS. PONTIAC MAKES OF PASSENGER CARS WERE STOLEN MORE OFTEN THAN OTHER MAKES OF PASSENGER CARS RELATIVE TO THEIR EXISTENCE IN THE POPULATION. SPECIALITY AND INTERMEDIATE-SIZE CARS WERE FOUND TO BE STOLEN MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WERE OTHER MARKET CLASSES OF VEHICLES. FORD TRUCKS WERE REPORTED STOLEN MORE OFTEN THAN OTHER MAKES OF TRUCKS. PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS WERE REPORTED AS UNRECOVERED, STOLEN VEHICLES IN SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER FREQUENCIES DURING THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER. THE STATE POLICE SHOULD ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED AUDIT SYSTEM OF STOLEN VEHICLES WHICH WOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE TIME AND LOCATION OF VEHICLE THEFTS. DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH PROFILES NOT ONLY WOULD MAKE POLICE RESPONSE TO SUCH CRIMES MORE EFFECTIVE, BUT IT WOULD ALSO MAKE INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN MOTOR VEHICLES WHICH HAVE A HIGHER COMMERCIAL THEFT POTENTIAL MORE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR GREATER SECURITY PRECAUTIONS. STATISTICAL TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. MATERIALS ARE APPENDED. (KCP).