2021-018 - Approving The Submission of an Application to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority

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6/22/2021 MVCPA Taskforce Grant Applic I . The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force takes a proactive and reactive approach to combat burglary of motors vehicles. The task force believes it important to educate the public about ways to try and prevent burglaries of motor vehicles at the victim's level. The task force informs the public on what the suspects are looking to steal, ways suspects attempt to enter a vehicle, and ways to prevent burglary from occurring. Other types of public awareness we utilize are using the media , social media , speaking at public events, and literature. The task force makes the attempt to reach these sources by placing signage at high traffic areas, large parking lots, community buildings, parks, apartment complexes, workout facilities, and walking tracks. The task force investigators have a network of investigators in the program area who share information on burglary of motor vehicles, and trends on other auto theft related crimes. The information shared among these investigators help develop suspect information, recover stolen property, and help coordinate ways to reduce the burglaries .Since burglary of motor vehicles usually is a random occurring crime, and it's difficult to predict where the crime will occur, the task uses as bait vehicle in areas frequently victimized to help identify suspects. The task also uses license plate readers to help locate and identify suspect vehicles traveling to and from areas where the crimes occurred. The task conducts active surveillance when possible, to attempt to capture the suspects in the act of committing the burglaries. The task conducts random salvage yard , metal recycling , auto repair shop, and salvage dealer inspections to help deter auto parts thefts. The task force will assist any agencies with investigations that involve burglary of motor vehicles, theft of auto parts, and motor vehicle thefts. 3.2 Functions of the proposed program related to motor vehicle theft. The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force dedicates majority of its time investigating motor vehicle thefts. The task force has developed a large network with other investigators in program area as well as other jurisdictions throughout the State of Texas and Oklahoma. The task force detectives use several approaches to combat auto theft. One being the use of education of the public through media, social media, literature, signage, public speaking, and community events. Another approach is to help train new investigators , patrol officers, and supervisors on things to look for on identifying a possible stolen vehicle or tools used to commit auto theft. The task force also uses license plate readers and has access to license plate readers placed throughout the coverage area to identify and locate stolen vehicles. These devices are monitored and used on a regular basis by the task force. The task force detectives also use the license plate readers to enter suspect vehicle information to alert local patrol officers of known suspect vehicles in a particular area. This helps detectives and patrol officers respond to the area to deter or prevent a crime from being committed. The task force detectives also use a bait car system , mainly for burglaries, to help identify suspects. It's has been a trend in the program area for suspects to burglarize a motor vehicle, I locate the spare key/fob, and then steal the motor vehicle. The stolen vehicle is then used to commit other burglaries or thefts before being discarded. The task force will work with the District Attorneys to identify repeat offenders , prepare case files , and assist with collecting evidence to present to the courts. The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force will assist any request from the program area to help identify burned, dismantled, altered vehicles ( including trailers). The task force will also assist with the processing of the same articles for the collection evidence purposes. 3.3 Functions of the proposed program related to fraud -related motor vehicle crime (such as title and registration fraud) The task force detectives keep a good working relationship with the tax assessor offices in the program area. The task force detectives try to meet with the employees or contact them by phone to get answers to changing DMV requirements in order to maintain knowledgeable on the title and registration requirements. The task force detectives frequently disseminate the information collected to local and area patrol officers to educate them on security changes to titles and registrations. Task force detectives conduct DMV 68-A inspections in order to help identify fraudulent title transactions, registration fraud , stolen , and cloned stolen vehicles. In 2019 the task force conducted 519 DMV 68-A inspections and 506 for 2020. This service is offered by the task force for the program area, and sometimes outside the program area if the service is not available to that area. The task force has also worked with local dealerships to educate them on how to detect and minimize the possibility of receiving fraudulent information from a potential customer for the purchase of a vehicle. The task force has worked several cases where dealerships sells a vehicle over the phone or internet and the purchaser uses stolen information ( identity theft). The dealership then will ship the vehicle to the suspect, not knowing that information was fraudulent until after the suspect takes possession of the vehicle. The task force also educates the public about purchasing a vehicle through the internet or social media and receiving a fraudulent title. This has been a growing trend throughout the state where stolen vehicles are being sold with a fraudulent tile to unsuspected buyers. The task force will continue to work these type cases, but has found that most of the time these offenses originated in another jurisdiction or state. 3.4 Functions of the proposed program related to preventing motor vehicle crime (motor vehicle theft, burglary from a motor vehicle and fraud -related motor vehicle crime) https://abtpa.tamu.edu/Application/TFGApplication.asp?GranteelD=l7&ApplD=188&FiscalYear---2022 6/11