|
Investigation Division Captain, and the Lamar County Detective will be assigned cases from his Chief Deputy. Both Detectives will
<br />combine efforts with other cases in the program area that are not from their home agencies, and jointly work cases from each others
<br />home agencies as needed.
<br />The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force has been able to retain highly trained auto crimes investigators who have been assigned
<br />to the task force since 2011. The detectives have developed professional relationships with law enforcement agencies, citizens,
<br />business owners, and industries inside and out of the coverage area. The task force maintains these working relationships and
<br />continues to develop new ones with the rising community growth. The City of Paris and the Lamar County Sheriff command staff
<br />acknowledges the Detectives experience, ability, and need to conduct operations throughout the program coverage area with little to
<br />no supervision.
<br />It is the intent of the NortheastAuto Theft Task Force, through this application, to continue to serve the citizens of our community and
<br />state by carrying out the following programs made possible by Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority. The task force investigators
<br />devote majority of their time to locate and recover stolen vehicles, conduct investigations, prepare cases for prosecution, and
<br />arresting persons responsible for committing these type offenses. The detectives are also involved with educating the public through
<br />community events, presentations, and distribution of literature to help teach the public how to limit the possibility of being a victim. The
<br />detectives also make routine inspections on salvage yards, auto repair shops, metal recyclers, and conduct DMV 68-A inspections to
<br />help reduce the amount stolen vehicles being transferred.
<br />The program has positive effected the community of law enforcement as well as the citizens. Law enforcement agencies from Texas
<br />DPS, Sheriffs Offices, District Attorney's Offices, and local municipal police departments the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force
<br />that can help with identification of vehicles and assisting with preparing a case for prosecution. The citizens know they have
<br />knowledgeable detectives with their best interests in mind. Who can assist them with recovering their property, and helping them
<br />through the DMV registration process. Continuing this program is an asset to the public as well as the law enforcement community.
<br />Grant Problem Statement
<br />2.1 Provide an assessment of the burglary from a motor vehicle (including theft of parts) problem in the coverage area of this application.
<br />Include loss data consistent with the reported incident numbers above.
<br />The participation area of the program for the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force ( Lamar Co and its municipalities) had a total of
<br />161 burglary of motor vehicles reported in 2019 with total loss of $90,350 (UCR) and 163 in 2020 with a total loss of $99,159 (UCR).
<br />The majority of these crimes are committed in residential neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and large parking lots. These crimes
<br />are random and typically the suspects search for unlocked vehicles. Security cameras have captured several suspects being dropped
<br />off by a vehicle in a neighborhood and walking the streets searching for unlocked vehicles. The suspects will travel to different areas
<br />quickly, making it difficult to predict locations where the crimes will occur.
<br />During these crimes personal items, money, personal identification, and firearms are most frequently taken. There are incidents where
<br />keys are left in a vehicle, resulting in a theft of a motor vehicle. Suspects use the stolen vehicles, personal identification, and firearms
<br />to commit other crimes as well. The task force detectives have interviewed arrested burglary suspects and learned that some
<br />suspects are only looking for firearms. These firearms are sold, traded for narcotics, and used to commit other violent crimes. In
<br />Burglary of motor vehicle crimes suspects also take financial information to commit identity theft.
<br />In 2019 through 2020 the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force combined with Homeland Security conducted an investigation where
<br />suspects were identified and arrested associated with the Felony Lane Gang. This gang originated from Florida, but travel the United
<br />States committing burglary of motor vehicles solely to take personal and financial information. Dubbed the Felony Lane Gang since
<br />they use the furthest lane at banks to cash forged checks using stolen identities taken from vehicles. The information stolen has also
<br />been used to purchase vehicles as well to register the vehicle under a victim's name to avoid detection.
<br />2.2 Provide an assessment of the motor vehicle theft problem in the coverage area of this application. Include loss data consistent with
<br />the reported incident numbers above.
<br />The program coverage area consist of (9) counites Bowie, Red River, Lamar, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Hopkins, Delta, and Titus.
<br />There is a combined est. population of 475,060(per 2019UCR). The coverage area mainly consist of rural areas, but does have a few
<br />larger cities such as Texarkana, Sherman, Greenville, Sulphur Springs, Mount Pleasant, and Paris. There were a total of 721 motor
<br />vehicle thefts reported in 2019 ( UCR) and 823 reported in 2020(UCR). That is an approximate 14% increase in the number of auto
<br />thefts. NICE reported as of 2019 Texarkana is ranked #152 and Sherman is ranked #197 in the nation for auto thefts.
<br />These numbers do not include trailer thefts, ATV thefts, farm equipment, and water craft thefts. These type thefts are problematic in
<br />these areas due to the geographical area. The Items stolen are commonly transported to Oklahoma to avoid detection because of the
<br />lack of state registration requirements in Oklahoma. Trailer thefts are prevalent in the program area due to the amount of rural farm
<br />land, and the false sense of security by the residents.
<br />ATVs, farm equipment, and trailers are often recovered with the public identscation number removed. It is necessary to have
<br />qualified investigators with the ability and knowledge to identify those items to get them recovered for the citizens. It is also necessary
<br />to have qualified investigators with the ability and knowledge to identify burned and dismantled vehicles to help counter insurance
<br />fraud and chop shop operations.
<br />2.3 Provide an assessment of the fraud -related motor vehicle crime problem in the coverage area of this application. Include loss data
<br />consistent with the reported incident numbers above.
<br />The program coverage area has not had a reportable amount of motor vehicle fraud related crimes. There have been fraud attempts
<br />in the program coverage area that may have been covered under the theft statute. The crimes that are referenced is where local
<br />
|