Article which appeared in The Derry News on August 26, 1919
On Tuesday, August 26, 1919, John H. Trenholm of West Windham, discovered that his early model Ford had been stolen, becoming the victim of what is likely the first case of auto theft involving a resident of Windham. That Tuesday evening, thieves, who were likely never identified, stole Trenholm's Ford car, an unknown model with license plate number 2646. Trenholm had likely motored from his home in West Windham to South Avenue in Derry to shop at one of city's numerous stores, or dine in a nearby restaurant. Fortunately, the auto thieves did not make it far with their newly acquired vehicle, as the car was found just an hour after it was stolen. Two of Derry's finest, Officer Wheeler and Officer Bennett, recovered the stolen automobile, which was found abandoned near a fire hydrant in front of the home of W. F. Neal.
The same year Trenholm's Ford was stolen, the Dyer Act, also known as the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act, was enacted, which made the interstate transportation of stolen vehicles a federal crime. With the increase in the popularity of automobiles came increased auto theft, and local police were often hindered by their lack of jurisdiction across state lines. Had Trenholm's automobile been stolen a year earlier, the thieves could have easily motored across the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, and would have then been outside of the jurisdiction of Windham's police department, as well as state and county law enforcement offices. While few details of the case remain, it is possible the thieves who stole Trenholm's Ford avoided crossing the state line due to the newly imposed Dyer Act.
Unfortunately, there are no reliable records for how many cars were stolen in New Hampshire in the first quarter of the 20th century. While the first car was stolen in France in 1896, auto theft only became more commonplace around 1910. Even by 1915, there were only 401 reported cases of auto theft in New York City; 338 of the cars were recovered by Police. By 1922, the number of car thefts in New York City had risen to more than 7,100, a trend which occurred throughout America. Certainly car theft in the relatively small city of Derry, and the smaller community of Windham, paled in comparison with that of New York City. The story of Trenholm's stolen Ford likely spread quickly throughout the close-knit town of Windham.
The same year Trenholm's Ford was stolen, the Dyer Act, also known as the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act, was enacted, which made the interstate transportation of stolen vehicles a federal crime. With the increase in the popularity of automobiles came increased auto theft, and local police were often hindered by their lack of jurisdiction across state lines. Had Trenholm's automobile been stolen a year earlier, the thieves could have easily motored across the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, and would have then been outside of the jurisdiction of Windham's police department, as well as state and county law enforcement offices. While few details of the case remain, it is possible the thieves who stole Trenholm's Ford avoided crossing the state line due to the newly imposed Dyer Act.
Unfortunately, there are no reliable records for how many cars were stolen in New Hampshire in the first quarter of the 20th century. While the first car was stolen in France in 1896, auto theft only became more commonplace around 1910. Even by 1915, there were only 401 reported cases of auto theft in New York City; 338 of the cars were recovered by Police. By 1922, the number of car thefts in New York City had risen to more than 7,100, a trend which occurred throughout America. Certainly car theft in the relatively small city of Derry, and the smaller community of Windham, paled in comparison with that of New York City. The story of Trenholm's stolen Ford likely spread quickly throughout the close-knit town of Windham.