AZ. Auto Theft Authority News & Updates
April 2010
________________________________________________________________
In the News AZ. Auto Theft Task Force Raids Business Operating as a Chop Shop in
Yuma; Detectives Recover Two Stolen Motorcycles Among Other Stolen
Parts.
On Thursday March 4, 2010, members of the AZ. Auto Theft Task Force,
DPS' State Gang Task Force (GIITEM), Yuma Police Department and the
National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), conducted an inspection at “1%
Choppers” located at 2786 E. Hwy. 95 in Yuma, Ariz. The purpose of the
inspection was to enforce the state statute of ARS 28-4846 for locating stolen
vehicles or parts of those vehicles. Information was obtained that motorcycles
were possibly being chopped with the parts being sold at a swap meet in
California. During the inspection, several stolen parts were located. DPS
Investigators obtained a search warrant which was later served on the business
and resulted in the seizure of two complete motorcycles, multiple bike frames,
two engine cases, and one engine which had all been reported stolen out of
various cities to include Yuma, Mesa, and Las Vegas, Nev. The owner, Robert
Alan Hagan, 56, of Las Vegas, Nev., was booked into the Yuma County Jail for
operating a chop shop. Hagan is a member of, ‘The Sons of Hell’, a motorcycle
club in the Yuma area.
Smugglers Scour Parking Lots Near Interstate 10 for SUV's, Trucks.
(Excerpts from The Arizona Republic's, Megan Boehnke - Mar. 27, 2010 07:25 AM
Valley police agencies continue to fight the theft of large trucks and SUVs from
big parking lots along Interstate 10; problem linked to the violent drug cartels in
Mexico. Agencies have been working in partnership with the State's Auto Theft
Task Force to track trends and intelligence about the networks stealing the cars.

The process works like this: A bigwig involved in cartels in Mexico calls local
thieves and gives them an order for vehicles. The local criminals swipe the trucks
- typically Ford F-Series pickups, Chevy Silverados or Dodge Rams - and leave
them at drop points along the interstate.
Then, Mexican nationals pick up the trucks and drive them across the border.
Once in Mexico, the trucks are modified and then used to smuggle narcotics or
people into the United States.
After a cartel's operatives smuggle the drugs or people past the border, they will
again meet up with thieves who then drive the cars and trucks back to Mexico.
There, the vehicles are retrofitted to once again smuggle drugs and people back
across the border.
Officials report the problem has been on-going across the Valley and along
interstate corridors for the past few years. To make your vehicle a tough
target: •Use visible and audible anti-theft devices• Steering wheel or brake locks,
•Window VIN etching• Kills switches or fuse cutoffs, •Smart keys• Vehicletracking devices.
Upcoming April Events Saturday, April 3, 2010 - 10am - 2pm.
Glendale Police Department & Cabela's Spring Safety Fair
Cabela's - 9380 W. Glendale Avenue
Glendale Fire Dept, Auto Theft Prevention, Personal & Home Safety, Gun Safety,
Water Safety, Amercian Red Cross. Also a visit by McGruff, the Crime
Prevention Dog.
Saturday, April 10, 2010 - 9am - 11am
ACPA Document & Cell Phone Shred-A-Thon
Premiere Document Shred - 2250 W. Broadway, #104 - Mesa, AZ.
Sponsored by Arizona Crime Prevention Association
Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 9am - 12pm
City of Scottsdale Public Safety Fair with FREE VIN Etching
Coronado High School - 2400 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale, AZ.
Also offering FREE child car seat safety checks, document shredding, child
fingerprinting, prescription drug collection/destruction.

Follow us on Facebook (Arizona Auto Theft Authority) and Twitter
(azautotheft).
Become a Fan - join us on Facebook and Twitter! Check us out for weekly
updates on auto theft prevention programs and events, current trends & theft

prevention tips. You can link directly to our Facebook Fan Page and Twitter
accounts from our website Home Page - www.azwatchyourcar.com
If you wish to no longer receive emails, please click here to unsubscribe.
##TrackImpression##