Mounties are crediting their prolific offender and hot spot analysis programs for falling rates of auto crime in Chilliwack.

Auto thefts declined by more than a third, and thefts from vehicles dropped 22 per cent over the first half of 2012, according to figures released last week by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

Sixty-five vehicles were reported stolen in Chilliwack from January to June, down from 103 the previous year and from 250 in 2008.

ICBC also received reports of 115 thefts from vehicles, down from 147 in 2011 and 359 in 2008.

"I believe 100 per cent it has to do with our prolific offender program and our CompStat meetings," RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth said, referring to the Mounties' use of comparative statistics to target high-crime areas.

"Our analyst identifies problem areas and how we can target those areas," Hollingsworth explained. "We've increased our street checks in those hot spot areas."

The second-half numbers may ot be as positive: Mounties reported 82 theft from vehicles on the north side of Chilliwack in September and the rash of auto crime continued into the first half of October.