WSJ/ By PATRICK MCGROARTY: "Thefts of luxury cars and heavy duty equipment such as tractors and trucks are surging along Germany's eastern border. In 2009, vehicle thefts in four of the five German states near the eastern frontier with Poland and the Czech Republic rose to their highest levels since 2000. In Berlin, a 45-minute drive to the Polish border, thefts jumped more than 40%, representing more than €40 million (about $50 million) in lost and damaged vehicles, insurance analysts say. To many in this remote stretch of eastern Germany, the reason for the increase in vehicle larceny is clear: the elimination of border controls in 2007."
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