With programs such as H.E.A.T, Help End Auto Theft, the South Plains Auto Theft Task Force can work with the community to help end crimes that begin with car theft.
Kathy “Kat” Anderson, legal secretary and crime prevention coordinator for the South Plains Auto Theft Task Force, said all that is needed to register for the program is a valid drivers license and insurance card.
“We put a decal on the back of you car and anytime your vehicle is driven between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.,” Anderson said, “or if it enters Mexico at any time, it can be stopped by any police officer in Texas to see if it’s stolen.”
The task force covers 28 counties extending all the way to the New Mexico border, said Anderson.
If the owner of the vehicle is pulled over, then they are fine, Anderson said, but if it is not the owner, then the police proceed to find out who the driver is.
“They will call you in the middle of the night and ask if that person has permission to drive your vehicle,” Anderson said. “If they don’t, then we have the thief.”
Anderson said that a majority of the people who register their vehicles are senior citizens and married couples, but the program is trying to branch out.
“We would like to target our younger ones, because they normally live out of their cars,” said Anderson.
Burglars are looking to steal anything they can find, Anderson said, and students have a tendency to leave everything, including backpacks, in their vehicles.
Anderson said it is important to remove everything from vehicles to prevent auto, home and identity theft.
“If they break into your vehicle and get your identity they can not only identify you,” Anderson said, “but then they can also get your address and break into your home.”
Thieves tend to target areas where they know the owner will be away for a while, Anderson said, such as malls, movie theaters and workout centers.
“Be aware of where you are parking,” Anderson said. “Don’t put yourself in the position to be a victim.”
Since the start of the South Plains Auto Theft Task Force in 1995, auto theft rate has decreased by 60 percent, said Anderson.
Jerry Johnson, commander of the South Plains Auto Theft Task Force, said he has seen a difference since the start of the H.E.A.T program.
“It’s a good tool for the one-on-one relationship with the citizens,” Johnson said, “I think it’s a great thing.”
Johnson said the task force communicates and visits with other agencies, and the H.E.A.T program allows them to get good feedback from citizens, specifically the elderly.
Coordinator Anderson said with the upcoming weather, people tend to want to leave their car running and will pay a price for doing so.
“Its coming up on the holidays,” Anderson said, “and thieves are going to be out shopping.”
About Bryan Navarette
