Arizona Automobile Theft Authority
www.azwatchyourcar.com

Auto Theft Training South of the Border
Mr. Mikel Longman, AATA Executive
Director traveled to Hermosillo, Mexico in
March with DPS Commander Dave Witter,
Task Force members, Sergeant Terry Starner,
Detectives Charlie Knapp and George Hoke,
and NICB Agent, Al Martinez. Chief of
Police of Aqua Prieta, Alfonso Novoa,
accompanied the Arizona delegation.
The group attended and co-hosted
meetings with Comandante Carlos Vega,
Director of Public Safety and Transportation
in the State of Sonora, Comandante Manuel
Hoyos, Director of the Sonora State Police,
and the Attorney General of the State
of Sonora.
The purpose of the meetings was to
establish and foster professional and
cooperative partnerships in the area of
vehicle theft enforcement and investigation
in both countries. The AATA’s partnership
with DPS on the development of a Border
Auto Theft Information Center (BATIC)
was announced along with discussions of

Jane Dee Hull
Governor
AATA Board
Chairman
Mr. Michael Payne
State Farm Insurance Company
Vice Chairman
Sheriff Ralph E. Ogden
Yuma County Sheriff
Mr. Dean C. Butler
Farmers Insurance Group
The Honorable
William J. Ekstrom
Mohave County Attorney
Director Dennis Garrett
Department of Public Safety
Mr. Alberto Gutier
Public Member
Chief Harold L. Hurtt
Phoenix Police Department

Arizona and Mexico delegation at the Sonora State Police Academy in Hermosillo, Mexico on
March 8, 2002.

repatriation efforts, information exchange,
and training of Mexican police officers. The

Ms. Ellen Poole
Public Member
The Honorable
Richard M. Romley
Maricopa County Attorney
Chief Daniel G. Sharp
Oro Valley Police Department
Director Stacy K. Stanton
Department of Transportation
Motor Vehicle Division

group also conducted a presentation at the
Sonora State Police Academy.

Arizona Automobile Theft Authority
3737 North 7th Street, Ste. 150
Phoenix, Arizona 85014-5079
TEL (602) 604-9034
FAX (602) 255-4802
1-888-668-4433

AATA Staff
Mikel Longman
Executive Director
Paul Boelhauf
Administrative Services Officer
Ann Armstrong
Public Information Officer
Arthur Myer
Administrative Assistant
An Equal Employment Opportunity Agency

ARIZONA AUTOMOBILE
THEFT AUTHORITY
February/March 2002 Newsletter

The Arizona Automobile Theft Authority
Name Detective Larry Ybarra Task Force
Officer of the Year for 2001
The Arizona Automobile Theft Authority
recognizes Detective Larry Ybarra of the
Marana Police Department as the 2001
Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force Officer
of the Year.
Detective Ybarra has been assigned to
the state Task Force for the past two years,
working in the Pima County Squad. He is
considered a valuable member of his squad
and the Task Force. Detective Ybarra is a
dedicated and enthusiastic veteran police
officer, who is recognized as an expert in the
field of vehicle theft and related criminal
activity. He readily shares his expertise with
others and is relied upon when the job has
to be done.
During the past two years, Detective Ybarra
has recovered nearly 180 stolen vehicles, at an
estimated value in excess of $1.5 million
dollars. He has also made more than 40 felony
arrests and conducted numerous in-depth
criminal investigations.
The Marana Police Department is one of
the original members of the Arizona Vehicle
Theft Task Force and on behalf of the AATA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
• 2001 Task Force Officer
of the Year
• Meet the AATA Board of
Directors-Spotlight on
Mr. Alberto Gutier
• Top Stolen Vehicle in U.S. for
2001 for Fifth Straight Year
• Vertical Prosecution
Grant Program

Detective Larry Ybarra, Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force Officer of the Year with AATA Board
Chairman, Michael Payne.

staff and Board of Directors, we thank Chief
Smith for their continued participation.
Congratulations to Detective Larry Ybarra
as this year’s Task Force Officer of the Year

Award recipient. The Task Force and AATA
sincerely appreciate his dedication and
commitment to auto theft investigation and
enforcement in the State of Arizona.

AATA Celebrates Passage of Senate Bill 1060
Agency Continues Efforts for Another 5 Years
Senate Bill 1060 was signed by Governor
Hull on February 11, 2002. The Bill continues
the AATA for an additional five years. Mr.
Mikel Longman, AATA Executive Director
states, “We are grateful for the opportunity to
continue our efforts in combating vehicle
theft and look forward to at least five more
years of innovative programs and initiatives in
the area of vehicle theft enforcement,
prosecution, and prevention.”

Some exciting programs and initiatives
currently underway by the AATA include a
joint partnership with the United States
Customs Services (USCS), the National
Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), and the
Department of Public Safety (DPS), to utilize
technology to enhance border interdiction
efforts. The installation of license plate
reading digital cameras at the ports-of-entry
Continued on page 2

1-888-NO-THIEF
Arizona Automobile Theft Authority

Meet the Arizona Automobile Theft
Authority Board of Directors
Mr. Alberto Gutier, Public Member

Mr. Alberto Gutier, AATA Public Member

Mr. Alberto Gutier has been a member of
the AATA Board of Directors since 1994. He
occupies one of two public member positions
on the AATA Board.
Mr. Gutier was appointed to Director of the
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in 1995
and has been a member of Governor Jane
Hull’s cabinet since October 1997.
Mr. Gutier brings to the Board 11 years of
law enforcement experience with the
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. In addition,
he has over 20 years of service at a variety of
state agencies, including Arizona Highways
Magazine, the Motor Vehicle Division, the
Attorney General’s Office, and served as State
Personnel Director. Mr. Gutier also serves on

AATA’s Vertical Prosecution Grant Program
Demonstrates Successful Results
The AATA received a
special appropriation in
Arizona – Vehicle Thefts by County, 2000
fiscal year 2001 of
Pinal
794
$150,000 to begin funding
Pima
Mohave
497
for the Vertical
18%
Yuma
479
(7,859)
Cochise
471
Prosecution Program.
Yavapai
367
Vertical Prosecution refers
Other
Coconino
242
8%
Santa Cruz
168
to the concept of a single
Maricopa
Navajo
115
75%
prosecutor handling a case
Gila
92
(31,868)
Graham
49
from submission, (often
La Paz
34
Apache
25
during the investigation
phase) through trial.
Although this is not a
unique concept, it was
rarely employed in vehicle theft cases in
Number of repeat offenders
27
Arizona. The AATA currently funds three
Number of convictions
119
grants that provide dedicated vertical
Amount of restitution ordered
$157,000
prosecutors in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal
Training sessions conducted
13
Counties.
The efforts of the county attorney offices
The results for the first six months of 2001
involved with the AATA’s Vertical
(January - June) are as follows:
Prosecution Grant program thus far have
Number of vehicle theft cases filed
Responses to Task Force investigations
Number of adult offenders
Number of juvenile offenders

149
115
279
5

been impressively effective at addressing the
prosecution component of the AATA’s
mission and may lead to expansion into other
counties in Arizona.

the Board of Directors of the Nat’l
Association of Governor’s Highway Safety
Representatives, the Arizona License Plate
Commission, the State Emergency Medical
Services Council, the legislative Oversight
Committee on School Safety, the Drugs
Don’t Work in Arizona, U of A Drachman
Institute for Land Studies and the State
Retirement Board for Capitol Police.
Mr. Gutier has been married to his wife,
Miryam since 1960-they have five children
and ten grandchildren.
Thank you, Mr. Gutier for your continued
support and dedication to the AATA as we
continue our efforts in combating vehicle
theft in the State of Arizona.

Bill 1060
Continued from page 1

and the development of a Border Auto
Theft Information Center (BATIC)
are two initiatives currently in progress.
The AATA’s prosecution and public
awareness efforts will continue to be
vital components in our efforts to
combat auto theft in Arizona. During
2002, the AATA will participate in a
multi-agency relocation to the Capitol
complex area, resulting in an annual
cost savings of nearly $4,300 as well as
a larger facility with storage capabilities
for the Agency.
The AATA is currently in the
process of implementing the
recommendations presented in the
Auditor General’s Performance Audit
Report. The AATA is also reviewing
its operational and administrative
policies and procedures to ensure the
highest level of compliance and
efficiency possible.

1-888-668-4433
Arizona Automobile Theft Authority

Toyota Camry is the Most Stolen Vehicle in
the U.S. for Fifth Straight Year
Automobile thieves continue to make the
Toyota Camry their favorite target, according
to the Chicago-based CCC Information
Services Inc., an insurance industry tracker of
trends in theft and vehicle damage. The year
and model of Toyota most stolen was the 1991
Camry.
Of the top 25 most stolen vehicles in 2001,
five are sport utility vehicles or pick-up trucks,
all from U.S. automakers. The increase in
thefts of these types of vehicle mirrors their
increasing popularity.
Most Stolen Vehicles in the United States
in 2001:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

1991 Toyota Camry
1989 Toyota Camry
1990 Toyota Camry
2000 Honda Civic SI
1994 Chevrolet C1500 4x2
1995 Honda Accord EX
1994 Honda Accord LX

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

1994 Honda Accord EX
1988 Toyota Camry
1996 Honda Accord LX
1993 Chevrolet C1500 4x2
1997 Ford F150 4x2
1990 Honda Accord EX
1991 Honda Accord LX
1996 Honda Accord EX
1987 Toyota Camry
1997 Honda Accord LX
1992 Honda Accord LX
1991 Honda Accord EX
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4
2000 Chevrolet C1500 4x2 Silverado
1995 Honda Accord LX
1991 Acura Legend
1990 Honda Accord LX
1995 Honda Civic EX

recommends a “Layered Approach” to
Protection-make your car tough to steal!
Layer #1 – Common Sense such as
removing your keys from the ignition, locking
your car doors, and parking in well-lit areas.
Layer #2 – Warning Devices which alert
thieves that your vehicle is protected. Items
include audible alarms, steering wheel,
steering column, and brake locks, etc.
Layer #3 – Immobilizing Devices which
prevent thieves from bypassing your ignition
and hot-wiring your vehicle. These devices
include smart keys, kill switches, and starter,
ignition and fuel disablers.
Layer #4 – Tracking Devices which emit a
signal to a police or monitoring station if the
vehicle is reported stolen.

If you own one of these vehicles listed, you
should take extra precautions to protect your
vehicle from being stolen. The AATA

Partners Against Crime
The AATA partnered with the Department
of Public Safety (DPS) and the Arizona
Vehicle Theft Task Force for Watch Your
Car enrollment drive and steering wheel
lock distribution
On March 6, 2002, the AATA, DPS and
Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force hosted a
successful public awareness event at the DPS
Headquarters. The event included distribution
of vehicle theft prevention information along
with approximately 450 steering wheel locking
devices to people who enrolled in the Watch
Your Car Program.
In addition, the DPS launched distribution
of Watch Your Car decals on all Highway
Patrol vehicles, which will display the Watch
Your Car decal on the rear windows.
The decal will aid in the public’s and
patrol officer’s on-going awareness of this
valuable program.

Event participants attend AATA/DPS Auto Theft Prevention event on March 6, 2002.