El Paso Police Department Auto Theft Task Force

09/29/2022

08/23/2021

08/18/2017

Northeast Regional Command Center
Community Fair

El PASO, Texas – The EL Paso Police Department’s Northeast Regional Command Center is inviting the public to a Community Fair. The fair will be at Cohen Stadium, 9700 Gateway North on Saturday, August 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be activities for children, car show, music, health screenings, immunizations, and food vendors. Admission is free. For more information, call Sgt. Chris Jones #2199 at the Northeast Regional Command Center (915) 212-8161.

The Auto Theft Task Force will also be on hand with a display booth. Please come by and see us.

07/27/2017

The El Paso Police Department's Auto Theft Task Force and Pebble Hills Regional Command are teaming with Wal Mart at 12236 Montana to provide a free auto theft prevention method. We will be offering FREE VIN Etching. VIN Etching is a $100-$300 value that can qualify you for insurance discounts and is a theft deterrent for some auto thieves.

We will be on site:
July 28, 2017
10:00am-2:00pm
WATCH YOUR CAR

04/01/2016

Man killed while confronting car theft suspect

Thanks to FOX13 Tampa, Florida for the link.

http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/115028538-story

Pasco deputies say a man was killed Thursday afternoon while trying to chase down a thief who stole his van.

04/01/2016

Child jumps out of moving vehicle, mother holds on as man tries to steal car

Thanks to GlobalNews for the link.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2608210/child-jumps-out-of-moving-vehicle-mother-holds-on-as-man-tries-to-steal-car/

A 7-year-old Dallas girl is safe after jumping out of her mom's car when a theft realized the child's mom left the car keys in the vehicle.

03/29/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 342 vehicles stolen.
2016: 398 vehicles stolen.
An increase of 16%

2015: 669 vehicles burglarized.
2016: 912 vehicles burglarized.
An increase of 36%

03/24/2016

Man Charged with Capital Murder in Death of Officer
Date/Time: 03-23-16 (Booked)
Address: Taylor County Jail
Offender: John Paul PERRY, 45 years old of El Paso, Texas

EL PASO, TX: El Paso Police have charged the man who struck and killed Officer David ORTIZ with Capital Murder. The incident occurred on March 10, 2016 near the intersection of Lee Trevino and Vista Del Sol when 45 year old John Paul PERRY was driving a 2006 Kia Optima and intentionally drove the vehicle into Officer ORTIZ’s police motorcycle while the officer was stopped for a red traffic signal. Officer ORTIZ was transported with life threatening injuries to Del Sol Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries on March 13, 2016. The incident was initially believed to be an accident and was being handled by the Special Traffic Investigations Unit. As the investigation unfolded information was obtained that led police to believe the incident was in fact intentional. El Paso Police Crimes Against Person’s Detectives were brought in to assist in the investigation. With the assistance of Texas State Troopers, the Merkel Police Department and Abilene Police it has been learned that PERRY observed the officer and made a decision to drive his vehicle into the police motorcycle which ultimately led to the officer’s death. On Wednesday March 23, 2016, El Paso Police Detectives travelled to Merkel Texas where they ultimately charged PERRY with Capital Murder for his actions on March 10, 2016. PERRY was booked into the Taylor County Jail and will be returned to El Paso once the investigation concludes in Merkel.

03/23/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 126 vehicles stolen.
2016: 181 vehicles stolen.
An increase of 44%.

2015: 305 vehicles burglarized
2016: 423 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 39%.

03/16/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 116 vehicles stolen
2016: 171 vehicles stolen
An increase of 47%.

2015: 270 vehicles burglarized
2016: 390 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 44%.

03/02/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 100 vehicles stolen
2016: 127 vehicles stolen
An increase of 27%

2015: 224 vehicles burglarized
2016: 313 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 40%

03/01/2016

The Auto Theft Task Force along with the Pebble Hills PAR Officers and Police Explorers will be hosting a "VIN Etching Event". The event will be at the Gander Mountain located at 2036 N. Zaragoza. Hours are 10:00AM to 2:00PM.

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) Etching will be offered to those individuals who wish to participate. VIN Etching is a process which in which the vehicle’s identification number is permanently etched into the glass of the vehicle. This makes the vehicle less valuable to a thief as it will become more difficult for a thief to sell the parts and also helps assist law enforcement in the recovery of stolen vehicles and identification of “Chop Shops”. You may also be eligible for up to a 10% insurance discount from your vehicle’s theft coverage.

VIN Etching is offered FREE of charge by the El Paso Police Department’s Auto Theft Task Force.

Hope to see you there.

02/24/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 90 vehicles stolen.
2016: 107 vehicle stolen.
An increase of 19%.

2015: 199 vehicles burglarized.
2016: 272 vehicles burglarized.
An increase of 37%.

02/19/2016

DATE February 18, 2016 NEWS RELEASE
Police See Increase in Burglary of Vehicles

EL PASO, TX: The El Paso Police Department would like to remind the public that they can play a key role in limiting the likelihood that they fall victim to a burglary of vehicle. Since the beginning of the year the El Paso Police Department has seen an increase in the number of reported Burglary of Vehicle incidents. In fact, only one region has seen a decrease in this category of crime this year. Overall, the City has seen an increase of 29% throughout all regions with the number of actual cases being 222 thus far in 2016 compared to 172 at this time in 2015. These numbers include all reported incidents through February 13, 2016. As a friendly reminder,
• Always lock your car and take your keys with you
• Always remove items of value from plain sight, it is best to take valuables with you when you leave your vehicle
• As the temperatures warm up remember to close your windows and sun roofs, do not make it easy for someone to break into your car
• Park your vehicle in well lighted locations whenever possible
• Utilize some sort of anti-theft device to deter would be criminals, alarms and secondary anti-theft devices should be utilized when possible
• If you haven’t already done so, consider starting a neighborhood watch in your area
• ALWAYS REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO THE POLICE

The City of El Paso and the El Paso Police Department prides itself as one of the safest communities in the United States. This is largely due to the strong relationships formed between the Police Department and the community. Please do your part to help us maintain this status by protecting yourself and your vehicle. For more information on the Neighborhood Watch Program please contact your Police Regional Command Center’s Special Operations Unit. As always, you may report any crime in progress by calling 911 or to report any other suspicious activity you may contact us at 915-832-4400. Crime Stoppers of El Paso may also be contacted at 915-566-8477 to report any crime and you will remain anonymous.

02/18/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 80 vehicles stolen.
2016: 87 vehicles stolen.
An increase of 9%.

2015: 172 vehicles burglarized.
2016: 222 vehicles burglarized.
An increase of 29%.

02/16/2016

Information from the El Paso Police Academy.

We would like to present to you the new Training Academy patch, which will be worn by the police recruits on their uniform caps. Below is a brief description of the symbolism of each insignia on the patch.

02/11/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 70 vehicles stolen
2016: 75 vehicles stolen
An increase of 7%.

2015: 145 vehicles burglarized
2016: 178 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 23%

02/08/2016

Guy Steals Car From Taco Bueno Parking Lot Minutes After Applying For A Job There

Thanks to Jalopnik for the story.

Guy Steals Car From Taco Bueno Parking Lot Minutes After Applying For A Job There

A Texas man went into his local Taco Bueno to apply for a job on Tuesday night, but left with something even better. Temporarily. The hopeful job applicant walked out of the restaurant and straight into a newly acquired car—one he stole from the parking lot. That, folks, is how you (do not) secure a job.

The car allegedly stolen by the job applicant, 30-year-old Courtney Cordell Wheat, was a Nissan 280Z, according to Texas news station KLTV. The owner left it running outside of the restaurant when he made a quick stop to get a meal left off of his order, and Wheat walked out of the restaurant as he walked in.

Throwing out a potential job for the dollar signs in his eyes, Wheat hopped in the running car. The owner, Brandon Jones, saw the car “just dip down” and knew someone was inside of it. KLTV reports that Jones ran outside and tried to break the car window with Wheat inside of it, but was unsuccessful. Jones said Taco Bueno manager attempted to follow the car, but couldn’t catch it.

Since Wheat finished filling out his job application just minutes before, police identified him almost immediately and notified enforcement to keep an eye out for the car. Duh, dude. You should have seen that one coming.

Police found Wheat and the Nissan at a Budget Inn, taking him to Gregg County Jail for unauthorized use of a vehicle. Rather than making a bland statement, a representative for the police department was rather bewildered. From KLTV:

“Who goes and applies for a job and then steals a car in the parking lot?” asked Roman Roberson with the Kilgore Police Department.
Whether or not the car theft was part of his original plan, it’s safe to say Wheat probably will not get the job. Unless he can somehow work from hom...jail.

http://jalopnik.com/guy-steals-car-from-taco-bueno-parking-lot-minutes-afte-1757502921

A Texas man went into his local Taco Bueno to apply for a job on Tuesday night, but left with something even better. Temporarily. The hopeful job applicant walked out of the restaurant and straight into a newly acquired car—one he stole from the parking lot. That, folks, is how you (do not) secure a…

02/03/2016

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.
2015: 59 vehicles stolen.
2016: 60 vehicles stolen.
An increase of 2%

2015: 112 vehicles burglarized.
2016: 146 vehicles burglarized.
An increase of 30%

01/28/2016

Think like a Thief. Don't leave your vehicle running while you go inside.

01/27/2016

Vehicle Theft & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.

2015: 45 vehicles stolen
2016: 45 vehicle stolen
0% difference

2015: 92 vehicles burglarized
2016: 98 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 7%

01/20/2016

2015 ended the year with 753 vehicle thefts. A reduction of 2% from 2014.

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.

2015: 36 vehicles stolen
2016: 29 vehicles stolen
A reduction of 19%.

2015: 62 vehicles burglarized
2016: 75 vehicles burglarized
An increase of 21%.

12/16/2015

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.

2014: 726 Vehicles stolen.
2015: 710 Vehicles stolen.
A reduction of 2%.

2014: 1,682 Vehicles burglarized.
2015: 1,439 Vehicles burglarized.
A reduction of 14%.

12/14/2015

Texas ABTPA Video in Spanish.

12/08/2015

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.

2014: 713 vehicles stolen.
2015: 692 vehicles stolen.
A reduction of 3%.

2014: 1,652 vehicles burglarized.
2015: 1,408 vehicles burglarized
A reduction of 15%.

12/04/2015

Vehicle Thefts & Burglaries compared to the same time last year.

2014: 699 vehicles stolen.
2015: 672 vehicles stolen.
A reduction of 4%.

2014: 1,622 vehicles burglarized
2015: 1,371 vehicles burglarized
A reduction of 15%.

12/03/2015

Date: 12/1/2015
Location: Triby’s Motors, 5699 Alameda Dr.
Arrested: 47-year old Raymundo Ordonez

EL PASO, Officers for the El Paso Police Department Auto Theft Task Force investigates a local business for reproducing Texas Buyer Plates. The investigation leads to the arrest of 47-year old Raymundo Ordonez who was reproducing Buyer Tags defrauding the State of Texas-Department of Motor Vehicles and the El Paso County Tax Office. Ordonez was placed under arrest and charged with Unauthorized Reproduction, Purchase, Use, or Sale of Temporary Tags (Fake/fictitious Temporary Paper Tags). Ordonez was then booked into the county Jail with a $7,500 bond.
# # #
Media Contact: Sgt. Robert Gomez
Police Public Affairs Office
(915) 212-4034

12/03/2015

The Auto Theft Task Force will be having a VIN Etching Event at 6351 S. Desert (Cash America Pawn) from 9:30am to 1pm. VIN Etching is a free service to vehicle owners. It will help in the recovery of your vehicle and you may qualify for a discount with most insurance companies. Hope to see you there.

12/01/2015

ABTPA Protect it it's yours Video

11/18/2015

Vehicle thefts compared to the same time last year.
2014: 666 vehicles stolen
2015: 654 vehicles stolen
A reduction of 2%.

Burglary of Vehicles compared to the same time last year.
2014: 1,550 vehicle burglaries
2015: 1,302 vehicle burglaries
A reduction of 16%.

11/17/2015

TxDMV.GOV - Auto Theft & Burglary Prevention

What to do if your vehicle is stolen.

Although the rate of auto theft is declining, thousands of Texas vehicles are stolen every year. If your car is stolen, the first thing to do is to remain calm and then follow these steps:

1.Immediately contact the police and file a report. Make sure you provide your License Plate number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to help law enforcement agencies locate your vehicle if it has been stolen.

2.Report the theft or burglary to your insurance provider. Even if the loss is not covered, reporting the crime will protect you if the automobile causes harm to others after being stolen. If possible, have the vehicle's title, the location of all keys before the theft, a thorough description of the vehicle and any personal property that was stolen with the vehicle.

3.Contact your financial institution if the vehicle is leased or still being financed.

It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive, all vehicles are a potential target of theft. Nearly 65,000 cars and trucks are stolen in the state of Texas each year, and thousands more are burglarized. Almost half of all vehicles stolen had the keys left inside.

11/16/2015

* Always lock your vehicle and take your keys.

* Never leave your car running and unattended.

* Park in a well-lit area.

* Take valuables with you when you are not in your vehicle.

* Keep valuables out of sight.

* Give parking attendants the ignition key only. Keep your trunk and glove box locked at all times. If possible, get separate keys for the ignition and the trunk and glove box.

* Install an anti-theft device. Many insurance companies may give you a discount for certain anti-theft devices. Check with your agent for details.

11/09/2015

Motor Vehicle Theft

2014 FBI Auto Theft Statistics

◾There were an estimated 689,527 thefts of motor vehicles nationwide in 2014. The estimated rate of motor vehicle thefts was 216.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.

◾The estimated number of motor vehicle thefts decreased 1.5 percent in 2014 when compared with the 2013 estimates, dropped 6.8 percent when compared with the 2010 estimates, and declined 44.2 percent when compared with the 2005 estimates.

◾More than $4.5 billion was lost nationwide to motor vehicle thefts in 2014. The average dollar loss per stolen vehicle was $6,537.

◾In 2014, of all motor vehicles stolen, 74.5 percent were automobiles.



https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/motor-vehicle-theft

In the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, motor vehicle theft is defined as the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is defined in the UCR Program as a self-propelled vehicle that runs on land surfaces and not on rails. Examples of motor vehicles include sport utili…

11/03/2015

Vehicle thefts compared to the same time last year.
2014: 637 vehicles stolen
2015: 623 vehicles stolen

A reduction of 2%.