Vandalism and Thefts Plague Route 1 Auto Dealers Amid Rising Security and Insurance Concerns-August 16, 1975

For the eleven automobile dealerships lining Route 1 in Norwood, morning break-ins, property damage, and missing vehicle parts have become a frustrating routine of doing business. Formed two years prior to advocate for better security, the Norwood Auto Dealers Association (NADA) previously donated a police cruiser dedicated to patrolling the highway after dark. However, with the wave of vandalism, petty theft, and car stripping showing no sign of abating, dealers approached town leaders last month seeking additional police protection, only to be told that department manpower is stretched thin.

Publicly, dealers express understanding of police limitations. NADA President Ernest “Andy” Boch remarked, “I think they’re trying. They are short of guys. What can they do?” Boch noted that operating along the high-volume commercial strip exposes businesses to a big-city atmosphere: “You’re subjected to more transients, more bad checks, more hustlers… you have to be on your toes.” Police and observers point out that the highway’s layout—carrying an estimated 40,000 vehicles daily through Norwood—provides easy escape routes for professional thieves down the road, while local pranksters easily slip away behind car lots into disconnected side streets. Despite installing chain-link fences, special wheel locks, and private security guards with little success, dealers acknowledge that the heavy customer traffic makes remaining on Route 1 essential, with Boch stating, “Everybody still wants to locate on Route 1.”

The commercial strip’s evolution dates back to the post-World War II era, when dealerships began migrating from town center to the spacious lowland highway, led by pioneers like Andy Boch under pressure from Detroit manufacturers. The influx brought vital tax revenue and payrolls totaling $5.5 million alongside $193,469 in real estate taxes, but lax early zoning—including “trunk highway B” designations with virtually no building restrictions, as noted by building inspector John E. Grover—left the corridor vulnerable. Former selectman Walter J. Dempsey recalled that town fathers once attempted to corral garish businesses between East Cross Street and Dean Street. Despite escalating insurance rates and persistent security headaches, the auto row remains the town’s largest industry, with dealers resigned to weathering the risks for the sake of accessibility.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger