A measure sponsored by Rep. Skip Priest, R-Federal Way, that would create tougher penalties for car thieves passed the House.

The Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority Bill, House Bill 1001, was the product of an eight-month-long bipartisan task force to address the ever-growing crime of auto theft.

"The bottom line is auto theft is a crime that hurts working families," Priest said. "No matter where I go in the thirtieth district, I hear from constituents that addressing auto theft crimes and penalties is a top priority," said Priest.

"People are tired of falling victim to repeat offenders of auto theft. We need to get tough and get these criminals off the streets."

Contrary to what many believe, car theft is not just about joy-riding, Priest said, it's about real families that are affected by the crime. A family can't afford to have the breadwinner miss work when his or her car is stolen, he said.

And, losing pay for even one day can devastate the family budget and possibly cause the person to lose their job.

House Bill 1001 will increase penalties for repeat offenders and allows for inter-county tracking and apprehension of car thieves who travel from county to county knowing that prosecutors cannot follow their crime trail outside their jurisdiction. The bill also has an education element to help citizens understand how they can avoid being a target of car thieves.

Priest said House Bill 1001 is about protecting families and communities in his district and statewide. It would impose meaningful and just punishments on thieves who steal peoples' cars, make possession of "shaved keys" and other "tools of the trade" a crime, and give police better tools to catch criminals.

"The National Crime Insurance Bureau reports that the central Puget Sound region, including Federal Way, ranks in the top ten of cities with the most auto thefts," said Priest. "It appears that Washington residents are targets because we don't have all the enforcement and prosecution tools to keep repeat offenders off our streets."

Along with tougher penalties for repeat car thieves, the measure will also create a prosecution structure aimed at penalizing car thieves from the first arrest.

"Our law enforcement agencies need this legislation to create a system to allow for a more integrated system for working together. This structure change will help protect more families and to put car thieves on notice that good tools are in place to catch and punish them," said Priest.

Priest added that auto theft has a dark side, noting that it is a crime closely associated with methamphetamine production, distribution and use as well as identity theft.

Letting repeat offenders of auto theft get off scot-free isn't about the next car that will be stolen; it's about the families affected and the myriad of crimes committed as a result of auto theft.

While Federal Way has seen the number of auto thefts drop from 1,573 in 2005 to 1,072 in 2006, areas like Yakima have not been so fortunate, Priest said.

Yakima has seen a 34 percent increase in auto theft crimes; from 699 auto thefts reported in 2004 to 1,060 reported in 2005.

"With the passage of this bill, I hope we can keep Federal Way's downward trend for auto theft and, hopefully, help our neighbor counties start their downward trend. Even one car theft incident is too many when families can't afford the personal costs of the crime," said Priest.

House Bill 1001 passed in a bipartisan vote of 80-16. It will be sent to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Skip Priest, R-Federal Way, serves as the Ranking Republican on the House K-12 Education Committee. He also serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the newly-added House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Funding.