The theft of three brand new cars from the Bermuda Shine car lot on Mills Creek Road last week has led many to wonder: What is the point in stealing a car in Bermuda?

After all, as Cardoza?s Garage manager Mark Sousa pointed out, in the US people who steal cars can drive to a ?chop shop? 200 miles away and strip the car down for parts, or re-sell it.

Bermuda?s size, however, makes that impossible. So why steal a car in Bermuda?

Parts are the answer, according to Island garages.

?They need parts, parts are very expensive,? said Mr. Sousa. ?They even steal parts from cars in yards waiting to be chopped up. They?ve been doing that for years now.?

The money could be used to buy drugs, he said. ?There (are) a lot of social issues involved behind it... And with the dollar becoming so weak, parts are going to be even more expensive.

?I have noticed an upswing in shrinkage... theft, nightfarmers,? he added.

However, while stealing cars made more sense in ?the old days?, when cars were used to run drugs before TCD regulations made that impossible, nowadays to steal an entire car is futile, he added.

?Especially three cars ? where are they going to put them? They would need a crew of people to strip them quickly, there (are) no chop shops around.?

Rayclan manager Sharon Davis also saw the recent theft as more of an anomaly than a trend.

?I could see if they were taking bikes, but I can?t see any other reason for stealing a car than for a joyride... I think it was just kids who found the opportunity and took it.?

She agreed that the theft of car parts was not unusual, however.

?People do take the parts of cars in car parks, the mirrors, the lights and so on ? whatever they think they can get away with without being seen.

?People have stolen parts from here (during the day). At night we lock everything up... If things aren?t locked up, it?s almost too enticing to pass up.?