Few empirical studies describe auto thieves. The most influential and frequently cited research is that by Wattenberg and Balistrieri who charocterize auto theft 0s a "fovored-group" delinquency. The findings of the present study challenge this conclusion. Although the majority of those arrested for auto theft are white. blacks are disproportionately represented; most thieves come from lower-class neighborhoods: and the distribution of juvenile thieves by fothers'occupational status does not oppear to difJer jiom that of other delinquents. Five types of out0 theft are suggested; the offender and oflense characteristics are empirically examined.

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