MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Michigan Automobile Theft Prevention Authority has Announced that theft has continued to go down in Michigan.

The ATPA started in 1986 when there were 72,000 auto thefts. Since then it has decreased by 65 percent. They are funded by taking one dollar from every auto insurance policy in Michigan, giving them $6.2 million a year.

"The fact that we have a hundred law enforcement officers out in the field fighting crime, and the other big reason is technology. Our auto manufacturers have come a long, long way in insuring that our vehicles are equipped with the proper safety equipment to deter auto theft," said Daniel Vartanian, the Executive Director of the ATPA.

The Meridian Township Police Department has its own agency that uses technology such as automatic license plate readers to prevent theft. Bait cars are also a widely used strategy. Auto thefts in Michigan have declined seven percent since 2010.