[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 6 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MULTI-AGENCY AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 1998

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to my colleagues' 
attention the attached article from the October, 1997 edition of APB 
and place it into the Congressional Record. The article illustrates the 
importance of anti-theft VIN labels when used in identifying ``re-
numbered'' stolen cars.

   Multi-Agency Task Force Fights Auto Theft and Wins 3M/IAATI/Award

       A Florida multi-agency auto theft task force was selected 
     to receive the 1997 3M/International Association of Auto 
     Theft Investigators (IAATI) Vehicle Theft Investigation Award 
     for an investigation that led to several federal and state 
     indictments and the recovery of vehicles valued at nearly one 
     million dollars.
       Detective John Pierce received the award on behalf of the 
     Dade County Multi-Agency Auto Theft Task Force at the Annual 
     IAATI Conference August 4-8 in Brisbane, Australia, for an 
     investigation coordinated by Sergeant Dave Rehrig. All task 
     force members, represented by U.S. Customs, FBI, Florida 
     Highway Patrol, Dade County State Attorney's Office, Metro-
     Dade Police, Miami Police, Miami Beach Police, Hialeah 
     Gardens Police, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 
     demonstrated excellent teamwork to successfully close down an 
     organized auto theft ring.
       The case was initiated when task force detectives learned 
     of an apartment complex where several high value sport 
     utility vehicles were being recovered on a regular basis. 
     Surveillance of these vehicles led to the discovery of a 
     large, loosely organized, but very professional group of 
     individuals responsible for vehicle smuggling to South 
     American countries. The group also had been ``re-numbering'' 
     vehicles for domestic sale.
       During the investigation, Detective Pierce discovered that 
     an employee at the Port of Miami was selling lists of vehicle 
     identification numbers (VINs) from exported vehicles that had 
     been showing up on stolen re-numbered vehicles. This 
     discovery, in turn, led to the recovery of several vehicles. 
     ``Almost all the cars had counterfeit labels on them,'' Sgt. 
     Rehrig said. After obtaining a warrant, tools of the 
     counterfeit VIN label operation were uncovered, which 
     included over 150 counterfeit anti-theft labels.
       The counterfeiting technique used by the subjects produced, 
     at first blush, visually perfect labels. Investigators were 
     able to determine they were counterfeit, however, by 
     examining for a covert security feature and by the way the 
     labels peeled off, leaving a paper residue pattern. ``VIN 
     labels on re-numbered cars peel right off but they don't 
     leave a footprint like the 3M anti-theft labels,'' explained 
     Sgt. Rehrig. The counterfeit labels also were discovered 
     because they were produced on a flat paper that did not have 
     the ``window'' in the middle, which is characteristic of 
     authentic 3M anti-theft labels.
       Even though the vehicles were missing their public and 
     confidential VINs, Detective Pierce was able to prove the 
     vehicles were stolen and make arrests by finding at least one 
     component part with an intact anti-theft label. Several 
     vehicles were identified using the original 3M anti-theft 
     label which the subjects had missed when they were sanitizing 
     the stolen vehicles.
       For example, one recovered Toyota Landcruiser had been re-
     numbered and the thieves replaced the 3M anti-theft labels 
     with counterfeits. The frame rail was restamped, and even the 
     window glass (etched with the VIN) was changed. Despite these 
     extraordinary measures, the subjects missed removing a single 
     anti-theft label. ``There is no question the anti-theft 
     labels were a crucial part of the investigation,'' Sgt. 
     Rehrig said.
       ``Vehicle identification labels are often the key to 
     cracking vehicle theft cases,'' said Kevin Curry, 
     Verification Systems, 3M Safety and Security Systems 
     Division. ``The winner of this year's award is a concrete, 
     real-world example of the value and role that anti-theft 
     labels play in the investigation and recovery of stolen 
     vehicles.''
       According to preliminary reports conducted by the National 
     Institute of Justice and the National Highway Traffic Safety 
     Administration, anti-theft labels have been a significant 
     contributor to the continued decline of auto theft in the 
     United States since the early 1990's. The study reports that 
     component parts anti-theft labels assist most big city and 
     state auto theft investigators to arrest car and parts 
     thieves and to prosecute them.
       Sgt. Rehrig agrees. ``The auto theft rate in Dade County 
     dropped 17.5 percent in 1996,'' Rehrig said. ``Furthermore, 
     detectives have noticed a decline in the theft of Toyota 
     Landcruisers countrywide.''
       Detective Pierce and the task force continue to follow-up 
     leads from this case. To date, the case has yielded seven 
     federal indictments, including the charging of the individual 
     believed to be responsible for most of the overall operation 
     of the theft organization. Four subjects have been arrested 
     on state charges, and 38 vehicles, valued at some $906,000, 
     have been recovered.
       The 3M/IAATI award is given annually to recognize superior 
     efforts of an auto theft investigator or team where vehicle 
     identification number (VIN) labels played a crucial role in 
     the investigation. ``We are very pleased and proud to be 
     selected for this award,'' Rehrig said.



     

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