N. A. Shchelokov, On Theft of Parts from the Volga Automobile Factory. June 29, 1981
Translated by Lewis Siegelbaum
Original Source: Archive of the Mayoralty of Tol’iatti, fond R-352, opis’ 3, d. 952, ll. 96-98.
From: Shchelokov, N. A. (Minister of Internal Affairs, USSR)
To: General Director V. I. Isakov, and Minister of Automobile Production of the USSR, Poliakov, V.N.
Date: 29.06.81 No. 3881
In the past few years the theft of spare parts, units and components from the Volga Automobile Factory has acquired an ever more widespread character. In the period 1976-1980, 7667 people have been detained by security with abducted components amounting to 644,000 rubles. In 1980 2342 people were detained, and the value of goods on their person amounted to 246,000 rubles. This is significantly more than in 1979 when 1421 people were detained with components valued at 147,000 rubles. The rise in detentions this year is also noted. Large-scale thefts in 1980 led to more than 400 court cases of which in 187, administrative-technical personnel whose job is to protect valuables were held responsible. Among the participants in these crimes employed at the factory were: 34 members of the CPSU, 91 members of the Komsomol, and 58 engineering-technical employees.
The factory is not observing the necessary degree of order with respect to storage, accounting and control over the expenditure of complete sets and parts. Very rarely are audits carried out; unsubstantiated write-offs at the expense of production proliferate . Many thefts are carried out in an open manner, but the administration of the factory does not always respond to the suggestions of the Internal Affairs department (UVD) of the city of Tol’iatti that involve taking precautionary measures to prevent thefts. In particular, the suggestion to change the technology of radio receiver installations in cars and the organization of security of lockers where workers change clothes and hide parts has been ignored. After five months, the office of the general director has still not responded to information provided by the UVD on the reasons and conditions for thefts.
Nor have corresponding measures for upgrading the factory’s technical security devices been undertaken. Practically all security work is reduced to frisking people as they leave the factory, which leads to conflicts. Often workers, especially young ones, interfere with the activities of security personnel, allowing those detained to get away.
Individual educative work among employees does not completely meet the requirements. For the five-year period, there have occurred 2556 criminal acts, more than 12,000 people detained for committing petty hooliganism and more than 17,000 people taken in to the sobering-up station.
The widespread nature of thefts means that retail trade and the technical service stations for cars do not have sufficient supplies of sorely needed spare parts. Especially in great demand are camshafts, distributor caps with levers, carburetors, and various rubber parts. Only 2.7% of deficit parts intended for the special store “Automobile” in Tol’iatti arrived there in 1980. Only 20 camshafts were received in the first quarter of this year by the Voronezh special auto center, which serves owners of individual cars in five oblasts. The lack of spare parts creates increased demand and presents the likelihood of illegal enrichment. A distributor shaft sold by the state for 28 rubles costs 200-250 rubles when sold by plunderers and speculators, and a camshaft costing 6.50 rubles is sold for 50-60 rubles.
Many people arrive in Tol’iatti with the aim of buying up parts. They form criminal groups, incline employees of the factory toward theft, devising refined methods of stealing. Stolen goods are removed in packets of milk, books, and specially prepared hiding places in shoes and clothing. In April 1980 the worker Suleimanov from shop 43/2 of VAZ formed a group of four people that stole parts valued at 20,000 rubles. Large quantities of parts are stolen via transport in containers. The outfitter of VAZ’s parts center Il’iasova with the transporter of the same shop Shchipachev tried to remove a container with parts worth 13,000 rubles.
Throughout the country thefts of automobiles from the Volga Automobile Factory are becoming more common. Investigation of these crimes shows that they are committed with the aim of dismantling the car and selling the units and parts.
With the aim of normalizing conditions at the factory along with applying the special measures worked out by us we consider it necessary:
- to immediately take measures to increase the output of spare parts for VAZ cars;
- to commission the leadership of the factory to organize the appropriate accounting and storage of parts, and control over their destination;
- to take immediate steps to improving security of the factory, applying modern technical means;
- to pay special attention to raising the level of individual-educational work among workers and employees of the factory.
On its part, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR is taking the necessary measures to strengthening the struggle with criminality in the city of Tol’iatti and especially with the theft of spare parts at the factory. The Department of Internal Affairs of Tol’iatti will be developing along with the directorate of the factory concrete measures to enhance the technical security of the factory, protect the factory’s assets, and strengthen political-educational work among workers and employees.