Attempted Car Theft at Moore Buick GMC Los Gatos Dealership

Los Gatos/Monte Sereno police are on the lookout for an unknown number of suspects who broke into the Moore Buick GMC Los Gatos dealership in the wee hours of Sunday, Aug. 18.

According to a police report, the officers responded at about 4 a.m. to the dealership, located at 15500 Los Gatos Blvd., right across the street from the McDonald's restaurant, on a report of a commercial burglary in progress.

When they arrived they discovered the suspects had broken into a security box and taken keys to a new vehicle.

The suspects attempted to drive the vehicle off the lot, but collided with three other parked vehicles, the report said.

The suspects then left the vehicle and fled the scene prior to police arrival.

A dealership employee, who declined to be identified, acknowledged the incident and said the car lot usually closes at 8 p.m. during the week and at 6 p.m. during the weekend.

According to the FBI:

• There were an estimated 715,373 thefts of motor vehicles nationwide in 2011.  The estimated rate of motor vehicle thefts was 229.6 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• The estimated number of motor vehicle thefts declined 3.3 percent when compared with data from 2010, 35.0 percent when compared with 2007 figures, and 42.6 percent when compared with 2002 figures.  (See Table 1A.)
• More than $4.3 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts in 2011.  The average dollar loss per stolen vehicle was $6,089.  (Based on Tables 1 and 23.)
• Of all motor vehicles reported stolen in 2011, 73.9 percent were automobiles.  (Based on Table 19.)