NI car crime soars

Figures indicate the problem is getting worse

Car theft in Northern Ireland is rising rapidly, figures obtained by the BBC's Spotlight programme have shown.

Statistics from the Royal Ulster Constabulary have shown that car theft was up 20% last year, from 8,090 reported cases in 1998 to 9,715 in 1999.

The rise is likely to continue, with figures for the first quarter of this year listing over 3,000 reported cases, in comparison to 2,664 for the same period in 1999.

The RUC estimates that there are 2,000 car thieves in Northern Ireland, with a hard core of 250, aged between 16 and 21.

In 1999 seven people were killed and 400 injured

The rising levels of car crime led to the creation last year of an auto crime unit, headed by Inspector Liam Byrne.

Inspector Byrne told the BBC that the RUC does not chase speeding stolen vehicles.

"We have a no pursuit policy, so the police now monitor and maintain.

"We now have the use of the stinger tyre-deflation devices.

"And the control room, which guides police to deal with cars which are running wild from incidents, and also air support.

"The stingers are very effective, especially when it's deployed correctly.

"There is no car pursuit or chase. It is simply deployed straight in front of the car from nowhere and it brings them quickly to a halt and arrests are made.

"But as far as police getting involved in entanglements with car thieves, that's now an absolute no-no."

Counting the human cost

Patrick Hanna, 28, was killed in January last year as he crossed a road in west Belfast.

His mother, Peggy said: "I just totally went berserk, squealing, I just couldn't believe it.

"I had left him on Saturday night and I was going to mummy's.

I've ruined my life - I'm scared for life

Ed Mallon, former joyrider

"I said I'll see you on Monday son and he said I'll see you Monday mum.

"He was dead. I said God help their mothers."

Maria Hughes lost her fiancee, Dermot Gallagher, when he was knocked over by a joyrider in June 1996.

She told the BBC that there were not enough deterrents.

"I don't think they go out with the intention of killing anybody, they don't.

"But if they've done it and they've knocked someone down or they've killed them and they got sentenced properly or justice was done properly, they wouldn't go out and do it again."

'Ruined life'

Ed Mallon began joyriding when he was 14 years old.

But a year later, army personnel opened fire on the stolen car he was racing.

He was shot in the stomach and back and lost three fingers.

"You don't think about other people. Once your in the car it's yours.

"Anybody that gets in your way, it's hard luck.

"We didn't think about other people, we thought about ourselves.

"I've ruined my life, my life is ruined, so it is. I'm scared for life."

BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme, which was screened on BBC One on Tuesday, examined the human cost of car crime.