July 25, 2025 • 29 mins
Virginia State Police have been working to prevent auto theft since the H.E.A.T. or Help Eliminate Auto Theft program started more than 25 years ago. It is estimated that the value of stolen vehicles and parts totaled more than $120 million in 2020. Don’t become a statistic or an easy victim. Guest Host John Clark will be learning more by talking to VSP 1st Sgt. Peter Lazear.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to a Virginia Focus. I'm John Clark on the
Virginia News Network. Help Eliminate Auto Theft Program educate citizens
about the theft of vehicles and their parts, the crime
that costs Virginians millions of dollars each year. HEAT also
trains and supports local law enforcement officers in efforts to
prevent auto theft. The HEAT program is a cooperative effort
of the Virginia State Police and local law enforcement agencies.
(00:28):
Here today is Sergeant Peter Lazier of the Virginia State Police.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
The Help Eliminate Auto Thefts Program is a subsidiary of
the Virginia State Police, and the program was created in
nineteen ninety two because there was a tremendous problem with
auto theft across Virginia, over twenty thousand vehicles stolen in
the nineties and it was such a problem that the
General Assembly actually created the Help Eliminate Auto Theft Fund,
(00:53):
and that fund comes from our insurance until one quarter
of one percent of our auto insurance premiums into this fund.
And the code is very specific about what we can use.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That fund for.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And so we are tasked with combating and preventing motor
vehicle theft across Virginia and supporting local law enforcement in
their efforts to do that. The program, by code, is
administered by the Superintendent of State Police, who then created
the HEAT program created my physician as the statewide coordinator.
I have four personnel that work under me, both administrative
(01:30):
and two special agents who are assigned full time to
the program. And then we have seven dedicated to auto
theft agents who work across the state and their primary
job is to work both as their own cases and
with local law enforcement to investigate motor vehicle theft across Virginia.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And you've noticed a difference in this since you started.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Absolutely. I've been in this program for about ten years
and in that time, auto thefts are down, and since
the inception of the program, autifests are down almost twenty
seven percent.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So we like to feel like.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
We're making a difference amount only with the funding and
training that we're providing, but also with all the educational
components of our program where we speak with citizens about
how they can prevent being a victim of theft themselves.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Because I would think this, you know, if it doesn't
if if it doesn't do well, insurance goes through the roof.
It just goes through the roof, you know, for people.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
In the vault's right, it certainly could.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, So we all pay for these crimes, right, especially
these property crimes where insurance carriers are paying out on.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Things like motor vehicles that are being stolen.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
The more we can reduce those number of thefts, then
we're going to be a much better shape with.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
These insurance carriers.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
What are these people that steal the cars? What do
they use them for?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Me?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
They take them in to a chop shop somewhere like
you here have a chop shop and they steal the
parts to sell the car. What do they do with them?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Sure? So, you know a lot of people talk about
the shop shops.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You just find that it's really an unscrupulous or criminal
network that will take a car and disassemble it and
sell the parts because oftentimes the parts are more valuable
than the car as a whole and certainly more difficult
to identify. But primarily what we see is a crime
of opportunity. So when someone leaves their car running with
(03:24):
the keys in it, then thieves will take advantage of that,
whether it's at a convenience s floor, or at their
own home or at their face of business, and so
thieves will take that vehicle and oftentimes go for a
joy ride, use it as transportation, or worse, they use
that stolen car to commit more serious crimes. Now, thieves
(03:45):
do have the ability to take cars with statisticated electronics,
and they can take things that don't even.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Have a key.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It's not as common as you'd think, but the technology
does exist, and so the best way to defend to
that against that it's very similar to a home invasion.
If you lock your car, you're much less likely to
be a victim of bottle tift because they're going to
pull that door handle, and when they can't get access
to the inside of the car, then they cannot get
access to the ports and the dashboard that they need
(04:16):
to plug into with these electronic devices, and so very
little is done on the outside of the car. Most
more advanced thieves will gain access to the interior of
the vehicle and then plug in and quarter of the key,
and that takes time which thieves don't often have, and
it takes that access. So if you remove your valuables,
(04:36):
park in a well lit area, take your keys with you,
lock your car, then you're much less.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Likely to be a victim a bottle tift.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know, you see that, I see it on TV.
You see it on TV. In movies, they hot wire
the car, then it goes crazy. Right up, I guess
that's true, right right.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Hot wiring is kind of a thing of the past.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
There's electronic ignitions and the immobilizers that are built into
all modern vehicles. Really in the gate that we did
see a problem in the past few years with certain
models from Hondai in Kia that just did not have
any type of additional security measures, and so those were
easy to really manipulate the ignition and start the car.
(05:15):
But Hondai has moved past that. They've implemented new security
measures and so now in the majority of your vehicles,
your key itself is electronically mashed to that vehicle, so
it has to have an electronic handshake in order to
start the car, and so you can't just come up
and connect a few wires and start the car. There's
(05:36):
computer controlled ignitions and what's called a transponder in that
key that is looking to speak to the computers in
that car, and a modern car can have ten to
fifteen two hundred computers for all the different modules, and
so all those have to communicate and be happy in
order for the car to start. So the days of
just walking up and touching a few wires under the
(05:57):
dash are gone in terms of modern vehicle. Now, if
you're driving something from the eighties or the seventies or older,
that is still a possibility. It's just an electronic connection
to just send voltage to the right starter motor.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And get that car running. So I can't say it's.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Impossible, but we really don't say hot wiring too much anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Do you see certain types of cars with Forge, Hondas,
whatever it is, that are are easier to steal?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I wouldn't say easier. I think what we typically see
is the cars that are most prevalent. So when Toyota
and Honda are making thirty thousand cameras or accords every month,
then those are the cars you see on the road
than those Ford f one fifty years Cheverlet Solrado. They're
very popular, so they kind of excuse the numbers because
(06:45):
oftentimes those vehicles will appear on the top ten most
stolen list, But they're also the vehicles that are most
prevalent on the road. So the statistics will tell you
one thing, but the reality is the easiest vehicle to
steal the one with.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
The keys bytion.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So I don't think that there's one particular make or
manufacturer that's more vulnerable than others. It's just really more
that crime of opportunity. So you take that opportunity away,
lock your car, then you are much less likely gay victim.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Right now, Now, when somebody comes and they find the
car stolen, do they contact you or the contact the
local police and then it goes to you from there.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
The second Yeah, the first thing you want to do
is contact your local police department. And what they'll do
is they'll initiate the investigation, take.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
The initial report.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That will be your fastest response, and then if they
need additional resources, or if they feel like there's a
side to something, they may be larger, maybe a statewide
or a national criminal organization, then they'll reach out to
the state police and one of our Autofift agents.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Will get involved.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Our agents are involved. You're kind of at a little
bit higher level than local police, so we're dealing with
things like the ports and working with federal agencies to
tract cases that go from the Philadelphia to Miami. So
I think your best course of action is always to
contact your local police department and get that officer there quickly.
(08:11):
And you think about logistically, we might have one special
agent covering a seventh of the state, so maybe twenty.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Thousand square miles.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So you don't want to wait hours for somebody to
come take the report. You want someone a little bit quicker.
So your local police are always your first resource, and
then we're tasked with assisting them however they need.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Okay, what about this is this is strange? Maybe not
U hauls and Rider trucks and Amazon trucks. Even what
about those trucks like that you see those around those
are stolen, I understand, and somebody has to go look
for them. What about do you see the lot of that?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Now, I wouldn't say a lot, but the rental industry
itself is just right effect and it's a shame. Criminals
will either steal or buy a store in identity of
a person off and off the dark web, and they'll
use that identity to rent a car, and so then
they don't return the car, of course, because they intend
(09:10):
to steal it. And the rental companies are not all
of that quick to report.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
That theft to law enforcement, so it might be sixty.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Or ninety days before we find out about that rental theft.
And then, of course, if anyone's seen the TV show
forty eight Hours, you know that crimes need to be
solved quickly or they become extremely difficult to investigate. And
so that's oftentimes what we're left with is a case
that is several months old and we're trying to track
these vehicles. So whether it's a you know, a Chevy
(09:37):
Malibu renting from an airport, or U haul truck or
a rider truck, we do see rental.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Theft that way.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
And with cars, oftentimes they'll rent a vehicle and take
it to another place, like another part of the country,
where they will attempt.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
To clone it.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And so the term cloned a vehicle has come up
quite a bit in the media lately, and that's where
the are taking the identity of the vehicle and cloning it.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
With another one.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And so they will take an old junk salvage, let's say,
a Chevrolet Pala, they'll buy one a salvage auction that's
been burned up or damaged beyond repair. They'll take the
numbers off that car and put it on the stolen
Impala that they rented and change its identity, and then
they'll go to a state that is really loose with
(10:24):
their titling laws and they'll obtain a title for that vehicle.
And they know which states have these looser laws, and
they'll take advantage of that, and then they'll re enter
the stream with that car.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
So that car with.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Its new identity can end up on Facebook, Marketplace or
offer up for any of these other apps where it
seems like a tremendous deal. And so we see people
that will have a great desire for a car like
a Dodge Charger, and they'll find one at half the price,
and they think it's an incredible deal and they buy
an a course of entity stolen. So in these situations,
(10:58):
just really buy or beware. But it pays to do
your homework. You know, get a car Fax report or
an auto check report. Buy from a reputable dealer. If
you're buying from a seller, meet them at the bank.
Make sure that the payments are are good, make sure
that the payment itself is good. Just do your due
diligence and use comments sense. If you're getting a vehicle
(11:19):
that's half its street value, then that's not that's not
a good deal.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That's probably a crime.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Yeah, if it sounds too good, it is usually right.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That's right, it sounds too good, it is.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I'll tell you what it really is. And maybe that's
is that why if you get shopped by the cops,
they check your they check your auto tag anyway, whether
they let you go or not they let you go.
Is that where they just check them so they might
it takes.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
To say that, Yeah, every traffic stop, your license, pace,
get and run. In fact, we teach our young troopers
that it's nice to go a step further and check
the vehicle identification number itself and just lay eyes on it.
You know, at the base of your windshield on the
left hand side on every vehicle sold in this country
is the vehicle identification number, and it's by law it
(12:03):
has to be public, and so our officers and troopers
and deputies they should be able to walk up and
see that number and see that it's been properly attached
to the vehicle by the manufacturer. It's a felony to
alter or conceal that ven and it's important that the
identity vehicles is actually verified. Especially when you see a
vehicle that has like a thirty day tag on it
(12:26):
that may have just recently come from a dealership. That's
a sign that maybe it's worth taking just an extra
minute just to look and check the identity of that car,
because we the last thing we want to do is
let a stolen car go on down the road and
not recover it and return it to its owner. And
you know, last year the officers in Virginia recovered over
nine thousand stolen cars. So it's great to know that
(12:49):
there's good work being done and the training is hanging
off that we provide so that they know how to
identify a stolen car and return it to its rightful owner.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
What a one of the situations that you've had in
the HEAT program where you've prosecuted somebody, What have they gotten?
They have they gotten stiff penalties?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I would like to have a great answer to that,
but the reality is that oftentimes this is considered a
property crime, and in and of itself, it's a piece
of property that's been stolen, no different than a piece
of jewelry or a cellular phone, and so the courts
have traditionally been a little more lenient on that.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And what the greater picture is.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
That that stolen car is often used to commit robbery
or rape.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Or arson or homicide.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
And if you can stop the auto theft, then you
can stop the major crimes. And so we're always trying
to encourage our prosecutors and local police farms to give
the due diligence that it needs to a stolen vehicle
because that is the basis for so many of these
other crimes. And so we see a lot of cars
stolen by juveniles. And you know, of course, no one
(13:57):
wants to set a juvenile on a bad path imprison
them for decades just for stealing a car. But at
the same time, if they get a slap on the
wrist and put back out on the street, then they
may do it again. So you know, I would love
to say that there's tremendous penalties for these things. And
even though it is a felony to commit grand largely
and steal the car, oftentimes the course give these people
(14:19):
a second third chance and they end up repeat.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Offenders, so they have to sometimes commit another crime that's
even worse because of that, and with a car, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I'm afraid, so yeah, yeah, And like I said, these
property crimes don't always get the.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Attention that they should.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But if you talk to the victims of auto sept
it's a terrible crime. It's an invasion of their privacy.
And oftentimes you don't want the car back after it's
stolen because it could have been used for terrible things
crimes committed it. It can come back dirty and damaged
or smoked in, and it's not always the case where
you want it back.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
That's what I've thought too. If my car got stolen
and it got back to me, I wouldn't want it again.
I wouldn't sit that car's dirty, it's something you know,
I want to get into the car.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I don't know absolutely, sometimes literally or just emotionally and dirty.
Of course, there's invasion there to you personally, just like
a home invasion, but logistically that that car was probably
driven like a car that's been stolen. You know, there's
a you've heard that phrase of driving like you stole
exactly what thieves do. We're actually starting up an advertising
(15:26):
campaign right now that focuses on these things, where we
talk about don't give thieves an opportunity to take a
joy ride and and don't let them take your car
for a spin literally doing donuts. So uh, it' draws
attention to the fact that you don't, if anything, you
don't want someone to abuse your car, and you know
you treat your car better than anyone else would, so
(15:47):
when thieves have it, there's just a nefarious things being done.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, I would have to trade mine right away, that
would because because of that, you said that, Yeah, right,
it's got to be it's got to be frustrating though,
when you get to somebody and you can't prosecute him, Mike,
you want to prosecute him to keep them from doing
it again. That's got to be frustrating on a personal level.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I guess it is.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
But we recognize, especially as state troopers, that we are
just a witness for the common wealth, and so we're
at the mercy of the kommalts turning in the courts,
and we respect the process. But of course, you know
when you forge your time and energy and sold into
these cases, and of course you want them to see
seven prosecuted the fullest extent them the law.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah, yeah, how about catalytic converters? Are they still popular
and people trying to steal them.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
That's interesting.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Currently it's not the trend, it's not the trend of
vehicle itself, but the fact of catalytic converters does trend
directly with the cost of precious metals. Oh, because that's
why they're stealing the catalytic converter. It's the rhodium and
palladium and other precious metals that are so valuable thousands
of dollars per ounce, and so some cars you can
(16:53):
get eight nine hundred dollars for a catalytic converter on
the scrap metal market. So when the scrap metal industry
pricing goes down, then the test drops because there's you know,
it's not worth the crime to get one hundred dollars
for a catalytic converter, but if it's a thousand dollars
for that same catalytic converter, then you'll see thefts go up.
So that's what happened a few years back when it
(17:14):
was just rampant around the Virginia region where we were
just having thousands of thousands of caatelic converters. It's because
in relation to that, there were strikes going on elsewhere
in the world where the mines were not operating, so
the precious metal prices went way up, and so those
catalytic converters became extremely valuable. And so we actually partner
with the Recycled Materials Associations where we talk about these
(17:38):
things and we track these things to see our catalytic
converter thefts coming back, and we're watching those trends and
right now we're fortunate that the price of those metals
is down a little bit, so the thefts are down.
But yeah, that's it's when you look at the global picture, right,
you see all these things are all interconnected. The object
here for pees is to make money. So when those
(18:00):
medals are valuable, then they will steal these things. And
it got to the point where some of these gangs
would go out with a shopping list and so they
would be looking for example, a twenty and twelve three
to Prius or a twenty eighteen Volvo XP sixty and
they would ride around suburban areas until they.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Saw one, and then they would follow it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And when you park your car at Target, or at
a grocery store, or in your driveway, they'll pull up
and steal your catalytic converterer and they're literally going out
with a shopping for these most valuable and I'm just
giving examples here that saying might not be accurate. But yeah,
so you say, well, why did someone target my Honda Element, Well,
might have to be one of the vehicles a very
(18:42):
valuable amount of precious metals inside that catalytic converter. And
you think it's a random crime when it's really not.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
It's really the thieves.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Are working like a major criminal enterprise and organized.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Right, what is your major your latest that you've custed
somebody and you've prosecuted him, Got any like that now
that you've recently done.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, we have a huge case that's being investigated in
prosecuted right now in Central Virginia. And without getting in
too many of the details, they'll say that it was
basically an individual that was dealing primarily in Dodge products.
And some of these products have a motor that's called
a Hellcat and it's a very powerful, very rare motor
(19:29):
and it's available on several different models. So they would
steal these Challengers, Chargers and Durango that contained this motor,
and then they would swap parts.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
And they would try to.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Clone them, change the identity, and so it really just
took the diligent work of one officer who just paid.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Attention on his beat.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
He was on routine patrol and he noticed that the
person had a stack of doors in their front yard
and they had a shed was open. He could see
eight or nine fenders, and this is just an almost
suburban home. And that officer knew from our training that
that's not normal, that's probably something going on, so got
a search warrant and really broke open the case to
(20:10):
the point that multiple people across multiple states are being
charged with millions of dollars of death and fraud. And
some of these vehicles have been pieced back together and
entered the stream, like I described earlier, so now they
are being sold through dealerships and through private sale, and
so now the arduous task is for law enforcement to
(20:32):
track those vehicles down and unfortunately notify the owners that
they're in possession of with stolen car. Now, the third, fourth,
fifth owner of that car is not in trouble criminally,
but they're probably going to lose that car, and so
then they have to file their own recourse. So it's
a huge case. It's fantastic work by multiple federal, state,
(20:54):
and local agencies. And it's kind of a culmination of about.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Two years worth of work.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
But it's great to say these guys coming to justice,
and you would be shocked at the crimes that have
been linked to these cars in terms of drive by
shootings and homicides and assaults and robberies and all because
of these stolen cars.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
If your car is stolen, rather, if you buy a
stolen car, are you responsible for then some penalties because
you bought a stolen car?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Well, if you knowing they buy a stolen car, then yes,
of course you're in possession of stolen goods the class
six spelling. But in most cases, people unknowingly buy a
stolen car, and in that case it's tough because in
law enforcement we have to come size that car and
try and get it back to its right flowner. So
the person that brought it is sometimes stuck with no
car and no money. They don't get their money back. Now,
(21:48):
if they buy it from a dealership, of course there's
civil process they can go through to sew and get
their money back.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
But if you, for instance, do what I said you.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Shouldn't do, and that is find an incredible unbelievable deal
on a Facebook marketplace, and you pay twenty thousand dollars
cash for a sixty thousand dollars car, you're probably not
going to get that cash back and you're not going
to get the car.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So that's just we.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Are just constantly talking about using common sense. In fact,
we've created a special section on our website at heat
reward dot com where you can get some tips on
how to avoid being a victim of this type when
you're purchasing a car. Just some things to look out
for and be aware of. And like I said, it's
so easy to create fakes nowadays, whether it's video photos
(22:35):
or checks. So anytime money is involved, need at the
bank if it's a private transaction, and work through the
bank directly, even if you just hand them the check
to verify it's real before you hand over the keys.
And oftentimes that carfax report or an auto check or
any one of those history services is worth the thirty
(22:56):
forty fifty dollars you pay for that, because what will
happen is when a car is rebranded or cloned with
a different identification and then put back into the stream
and sold, it will pop up as a new vehicle,
but with forty fifty thousand miles on it, and so
that's a red flag to.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Law enforcement, should be for you.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Most vehicles, from the day they roll off the assembly line,
they start a history of oil changes in service that
will be reflected most times in a car fax or
an auto check. So if you if you pull that
report and you pay for it, you have access to
it and it shows that the first entry was this
vehicle at sixty thousand miles being sold. That's a problem
(23:36):
and it should not be the case. It's like having
a twenty year old child.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
That you have no baby photo of ever, that no
one ever met. It's like that these things don't just appear.
There's something suspicious there.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
Yeah, if it's too good to be true, it usually is.
And you're out of some money, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Yep, that seems to be the same. You're right.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You also you have you'll come out to events for people, right,
You've made appearances for people to talk about it. Absolutely,
what do you do?
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Our huge part of our program is public outreach, and
so we have a fleet of show vehicles that we
bring out. We bring tenths and tables and our special
agents will go out to public events like car shows
and parades and NASCAR races and smaller tracks like South Boston.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Speedway, and we will interact with.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
The public and we'll have discussions and we'll give out
free promotional items and just talk to people about the
simple steps that they can take to prevent more vehicle tests.
And that's a huge part of our job. We love
that it's great to get out and interact with people
and they get to see our cars and ask all
the questions. And then there's also a service we offer
(24:46):
for free where we will take the vehicle identification number
of your car and we will etch it on every portion.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Of glass on your vehicle.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
And it's kind of a deterrent to thieves, just like
putting an alarm sign in front of your home. It
tells these don't mess with this. Find an easier target.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
So we host.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Events all over the Commonwealth in the warmer months. So
now where we will partner with the local police and
in a parking lot of say a target or a
walmart of a police station, people can bring their cars
and in just.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
A few minutes we will atch the glass.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Of their vehicle for free and give them some promotion
items and send them on their way. So there's a
great events, good pr All of these events are listed
and not only on our Facebook page for the Heat program,
but also at the website Heat Reward dot com.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
And now you also have Heat Award winners. What is
that for.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
That's one of my favorite parts of my dog com.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That is great.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
We recognize our insurance industry and law enforcement partners for
the extraordinary work that they're doing the combat motor vehicle sets.
So coming up later in August and then in September,
we have two ceremonies at both the Chiefs and Shares
conferences where we will recognize the officers and deputies and
troopers that have done extraordinary work in the previous year
(26:05):
where they've recovered millions of dollars worth of cars or
they've returned vehicles to their rightful owners. Last year I
got to speak about a stolen ATV that actually solved
a stolen goat case from a farm. So we have
some really fun cases. It's amazing the work being done
out there. We have agents that are seizing thirty cars
(26:27):
a day from the ports, you know, just cars that
are stolen trying to get out of the country. So
I love presenting these awards. We do them in conjunction
with the chiefs and sheriffs, and so we get to
be in front of their they get awarded in front
of their own chief or their sheriff. It's a wonderful time.
And all that will be publicized afterwards to Press Relief
(26:48):
and on our website so you can see photos of
it and you can learn about the work that they did.
They deserve to be recognized and sometimes that our law
enforcement doesn't get enough credit. And so this is one
of the ways that we get back to that community
is we want to recognize them for their efforts.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
That's fantastic. That's fantastic. So now in closing, where do
they go to find out all the information they want
to find out and get to you and find just
find out the information.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Sure well, one of the most important things is heatreward
dot com. And at that site, not only can you
get tips on how to prevent being a victim of
all the deaths, but you can also learn about connections
to get us stayed to come to your event. If
you have a neighborhood watch meeting, if it can be
large or small, if you have an event you'd like
us to come to. You can even request whether you
(27:36):
want a show vehicle to come or just an agent
with a table. A lot of different levels there. And
of course we also offer a reward of about the
twenty five thousand dollars for information that leads to arrest.
So if you know of someone that's stealing cars or
stealing cars, or you suspect someone has been doing that,
you have any information at all, you can report that
(27:59):
to the submitted pip on our website or you can
call it one ninety four seven heat h e AP
and we went. And so we love to pay for
these such a thing, even if it's as simple as
just say ring camera footage of someone pulling on door handles.
It might be nothing to you, but to us, the
(28:20):
good break open the case and we want to reward
you for that information. So keep that in.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Mind as well.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
But all of our information can be found on our
Facebook pase or on our website heat reward dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Well, Peter, thank you so much for talking with us
today about this. I know you've helped some people today
and keep doing what you're doing. Keep doing it. It's great.
Thanks a lot, thank you for having me. That's Chargeant
Peter Lazir of the Virginia State Police. You can find
out more at heat reward dot com.
Welcome to a Virginia Focus. I'm John Clark on the
Virginia News Network. Help Eliminate Auto Theft Program educate citizens
about the theft of vehicles and their parts, the crime
that costs Virginians millions of dollars each year. HEAT also
trains and supports local law enforcement officers in efforts to
prevent auto theft. The HEAT program is a cooperative effort
of the Virginia State Police and local law enforcement agencies.
(00:28):
Here today is Sergeant Peter Lazier of the Virginia State Police.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
The Help Eliminate Auto Thefts Program is a subsidiary of
the Virginia State Police, and the program was created in
nineteen ninety two because there was a tremendous problem with
auto theft across Virginia, over twenty thousand vehicles stolen in
the nineties and it was such a problem that the
General Assembly actually created the Help Eliminate Auto Theft Fund,
(00:53):
and that fund comes from our insurance until one quarter
of one percent of our auto insurance premiums into this fund.
And the code is very specific about what we can use.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That fund for.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
And so we are tasked with combating and preventing motor
vehicle theft across Virginia and supporting local law enforcement in
their efforts to do that. The program, by code, is
administered by the Superintendent of State Police, who then created
the HEAT program created my physician as the statewide coordinator.
I have four personnel that work under me, both administrative
(01:30):
and two special agents who are assigned full time to
the program. And then we have seven dedicated to auto
theft agents who work across the state and their primary
job is to work both as their own cases and
with local law enforcement to investigate motor vehicle theft across Virginia.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And you've noticed a difference in this since you started.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Absolutely. I've been in this program for about ten years
and in that time, auto thefts are down, and since
the inception of the program, autifests are down almost twenty
seven percent.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So we like to feel like.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
We're making a difference amount only with the funding and
training that we're providing, but also with all the educational
components of our program where we speak with citizens about
how they can prevent being a victim of theft themselves.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Because I would think this, you know, if it doesn't
if if it doesn't do well, insurance goes through the roof.
It just goes through the roof, you know, for people.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
In the vault's right, it certainly could.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, So we all pay for these crimes, right, especially
these property crimes where insurance carriers are paying out on.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Things like motor vehicles that are being stolen.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
The more we can reduce those number of thefts, then
we're going to be a much better shape with.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
These insurance carriers.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
What are these people that steal the cars? What do
they use them for?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Me?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
They take them in to a chop shop somewhere like
you here have a chop shop and they steal the
parts to sell the car. What do they do with them?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Sure? So, you know a lot of people talk about
the shop shops.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You just find that it's really an unscrupulous or criminal
network that will take a car and disassemble it and
sell the parts because oftentimes the parts are more valuable
than the car as a whole and certainly more difficult
to identify. But primarily what we see is a crime
of opportunity. So when someone leaves their car running with
(03:24):
the keys in it, then thieves will take advantage of that,
whether it's at a convenience s floor, or at their
own home or at their face of business, and so
thieves will take that vehicle and oftentimes go for a
joy ride, use it as transportation, or worse, they use
that stolen car to commit more serious crimes. Now, thieves
(03:45):
do have the ability to take cars with statisticated electronics,
and they can take things that don't even.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Have a key.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It's not as common as you'd think, but the technology
does exist, and so the best way to defend to
that against that it's very similar to a home invasion.
If you lock your car, you're much less likely to
be a victim of bottle tift because they're going to
pull that door handle, and when they can't get access
to the inside of the car, then they cannot get
access to the ports and the dashboard that they need
(04:16):
to plug into with these electronic devices, and so very
little is done on the outside of the car. Most
more advanced thieves will gain access to the interior of
the vehicle and then plug in and quarter of the key,
and that takes time which thieves don't often have, and
it takes that access. So if you remove your valuables,
(04:36):
park in a well lit area, take your keys with you,
lock your car, then you're much less.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Likely to be a victim a bottle tift.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know, you see that, I see it on TV.
You see it on TV. In movies, they hot wire
the car, then it goes crazy. Right up, I guess
that's true, right right.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Hot wiring is kind of a thing of the past.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
There's electronic ignitions and the immobilizers that are built into
all modern vehicles. Really in the gate that we did
see a problem in the past few years with certain
models from Hondai in Kia that just did not have
any type of additional security measures, and so those were
easy to really manipulate the ignition and start the car.
(05:15):
But Hondai has moved past that. They've implemented new security
measures and so now in the majority of your vehicles,
your key itself is electronically mashed to that vehicle, so
it has to have an electronic handshake in order to
start the car, and so you can't just come up
and connect a few wires and start the car. There's
(05:36):
computer controlled ignitions and what's called a transponder in that
key that is looking to speak to the computers in
that car, and a modern car can have ten to
fifteen two hundred computers for all the different modules, and
so all those have to communicate and be happy in
order for the car to start. So the days of
just walking up and touching a few wires under the
(05:57):
dash are gone in terms of modern vehicle. Now, if
you're driving something from the eighties or the seventies or older,
that is still a possibility. It's just an electronic connection
to just send voltage to the right starter motor.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And get that car running. So I can't say it's.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Impossible, but we really don't say hot wiring too much anymore.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Do you see certain types of cars with Forge, Hondas,
whatever it is, that are are easier to steal?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I wouldn't say easier. I think what we typically see
is the cars that are most prevalent. So when Toyota
and Honda are making thirty thousand cameras or accords every month,
then those are the cars you see on the road
than those Ford f one fifty years Cheverlet Solrado. They're
very popular, so they kind of excuse the numbers because
(06:45):
oftentimes those vehicles will appear on the top ten most
stolen list, But they're also the vehicles that are most
prevalent on the road. So the statistics will tell you
one thing, but the reality is the easiest vehicle to
steal the one with.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
The keys bytion.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So I don't think that there's one particular make or
manufacturer that's more vulnerable than others. It's just really more
that crime of opportunity. So you take that opportunity away,
lock your car, then you are much less likely gay victim.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Right now, Now, when somebody comes and they find the
car stolen, do they contact you or the contact the
local police and then it goes to you from there.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
The second Yeah, the first thing you want to do
is contact your local police department. And what they'll do
is they'll initiate the investigation, take.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
The initial report.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That will be your fastest response, and then if they
need additional resources, or if they feel like there's a
side to something, they may be larger, maybe a statewide
or a national criminal organization, then they'll reach out to
the state police and one of our Autofift agents.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Will get involved.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Our agents are involved. You're kind of at a little
bit higher level than local police, so we're dealing with
things like the ports and working with federal agencies to
tract cases that go from the Philadelphia to Miami. So
I think your best course of action is always to
contact your local police department and get that officer there quickly.
(08:11):
And you think about logistically, we might have one special
agent covering a seventh of the state, so maybe twenty.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Thousand square miles.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So you don't want to wait hours for somebody to
come take the report. You want someone a little bit quicker.
So your local police are always your first resource, and
then we're tasked with assisting them however they need.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Okay, what about this is this is strange? Maybe not
U hauls and Rider trucks and Amazon trucks. Even what
about those trucks like that you see those around those
are stolen, I understand, and somebody has to go look
for them. What about do you see the lot of that?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Now, I wouldn't say a lot, but the rental industry
itself is just right effect and it's a shame. Criminals
will either steal or buy a store in identity of
a person off and off the dark web, and they'll
use that identity to rent a car, and so then
they don't return the car, of course, because they intend
(09:10):
to steal it. And the rental companies are not all
of that quick to report.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
That theft to law enforcement, so it might be sixty.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Or ninety days before we find out about that rental theft.
And then, of course, if anyone's seen the TV show
forty eight Hours, you know that crimes need to be
solved quickly or they become extremely difficult to investigate. And
so that's oftentimes what we're left with is a case
that is several months old and we're trying to track
these vehicles. So whether it's a you know, a Chevy
(09:37):
Malibu renting from an airport, or U haul truck or
a rider truck, we do see rental.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Theft that way.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
And with cars, oftentimes they'll rent a vehicle and take
it to another place, like another part of the country,
where they will attempt.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
To clone it.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And so the term cloned a vehicle has come up
quite a bit in the media lately, and that's where
the are taking the identity of the vehicle and cloning it.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
With another one.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And so they will take an old junk salvage, let's say,
a Chevrolet Pala, they'll buy one a salvage auction that's
been burned up or damaged beyond repair. They'll take the
numbers off that car and put it on the stolen
Impala that they rented and change its identity, and then
they'll go to a state that is really loose with
(10:24):
their titling laws and they'll obtain a title for that vehicle.
And they know which states have these looser laws, and
they'll take advantage of that, and then they'll re enter
the stream with that car.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
So that car with.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Its new identity can end up on Facebook, Marketplace or
offer up for any of these other apps where it
seems like a tremendous deal. And so we see people
that will have a great desire for a car like
a Dodge Charger, and they'll find one at half the price,
and they think it's an incredible deal and they buy
an a course of entity stolen. So in these situations,
(10:58):
just really buy or beware. But it pays to do
your homework. You know, get a car Fax report or
an auto check report. Buy from a reputable dealer. If
you're buying from a seller, meet them at the bank.
Make sure that the payments are are good, make sure
that the payment itself is good. Just do your due
diligence and use comments sense. If you're getting a vehicle
(11:19):
that's half its street value, then that's not that's not
a good deal.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
That's probably a crime.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Yeah, if it sounds too good, it is usually right.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
That's right, it sounds too good, it is.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I'll tell you what it really is. And maybe that's
is that why if you get shopped by the cops,
they check your they check your auto tag anyway, whether
they let you go or not they let you go.
Is that where they just check them so they might
it takes.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
To say that, Yeah, every traffic stop, your license, pace,
get and run. In fact, we teach our young troopers
that it's nice to go a step further and check
the vehicle identification number itself and just lay eyes on it.
You know, at the base of your windshield on the
left hand side on every vehicle sold in this country
is the vehicle identification number, and it's by law it
(12:03):
has to be public, and so our officers and troopers
and deputies they should be able to walk up and
see that number and see that it's been properly attached
to the vehicle by the manufacturer. It's a felony to
alter or conceal that ven and it's important that the
identity vehicles is actually verified. Especially when you see a
vehicle that has like a thirty day tag on it
(12:26):
that may have just recently come from a dealership. That's
a sign that maybe it's worth taking just an extra
minute just to look and check the identity of that car,
because we the last thing we want to do is
let a stolen car go on down the road and
not recover it and return it to its owner. And
you know, last year the officers in Virginia recovered over
nine thousand stolen cars. So it's great to know that
(12:49):
there's good work being done and the training is hanging
off that we provide so that they know how to
identify a stolen car and return it to its rightful owner.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
What a one of the situations that you've had in
the HEAT program where you've prosecuted somebody, What have they gotten?
They have they gotten stiff penalties?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I would like to have a great answer to that,
but the reality is that oftentimes this is considered a
property crime, and in and of itself, it's a piece
of property that's been stolen, no different than a piece
of jewelry or a cellular phone, and so the courts
have traditionally been a little more lenient on that.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And what the greater picture is.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
That that stolen car is often used to commit robbery
or rape.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Or arson or homicide.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
And if you can stop the auto theft, then you
can stop the major crimes. And so we're always trying
to encourage our prosecutors and local police farms to give
the due diligence that it needs to a stolen vehicle
because that is the basis for so many of these
other crimes. And so we see a lot of cars
stolen by juveniles. And you know, of course, no one
(13:57):
wants to set a juvenile on a bad path imprison
them for decades just for stealing a car. But at
the same time, if they get a slap on the
wrist and put back out on the street, then they
may do it again. So you know, I would love
to say that there's tremendous penalties for these things. And
even though it is a felony to commit grand largely
and steal the car, oftentimes the course give these people
(14:19):
a second third chance and they end up repeat.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Offenders, so they have to sometimes commit another crime that's
even worse because of that, and with a car, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I'm afraid, so yeah, yeah, And like I said, these
property crimes don't always get the.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Attention that they should.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But if you talk to the victims of auto sept
it's a terrible crime. It's an invasion of their privacy.
And oftentimes you don't want the car back after it's
stolen because it could have been used for terrible things
crimes committed it. It can come back dirty and damaged
or smoked in, and it's not always the case where
you want it back.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
That's what I've thought too. If my car got stolen
and it got back to me, I wouldn't want it again.
I wouldn't sit that car's dirty, it's something you know,
I want to get into the car.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
I don't know absolutely, sometimes literally or just emotionally and dirty.
Of course, there's invasion there to you personally, just like
a home invasion, but logistically that that car was probably
driven like a car that's been stolen. You know, there's
a you've heard that phrase of driving like you stole
exactly what thieves do. We're actually starting up an advertising
(15:26):
campaign right now that focuses on these things, where we
talk about don't give thieves an opportunity to take a
joy ride and and don't let them take your car
for a spin literally doing donuts. So uh, it' draws
attention to the fact that you don't, if anything, you
don't want someone to abuse your car, and you know
you treat your car better than anyone else would, so
(15:47):
when thieves have it, there's just a nefarious things being done.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, I would have to trade mine right away, that
would because because of that, you said that, Yeah, right,
it's got to be it's got to be frustrating though,
when you get to somebody and you can't prosecute him, Mike,
you want to prosecute him to keep them from doing
it again. That's got to be frustrating on a personal level.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I guess it is.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
But we recognize, especially as state troopers, that we are
just a witness for the common wealth, and so we're
at the mercy of the kommalts turning in the courts,
and we respect the process. But of course, you know
when you forge your time and energy and sold into
these cases, and of course you want them to see
seven prosecuted the fullest extent them the law.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah, yeah, how about catalytic converters? Are they still popular
and people trying to steal them.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
That's interesting.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Currently it's not the trend, it's not the trend of
vehicle itself, but the fact of catalytic converters does trend
directly with the cost of precious metals. Oh, because that's
why they're stealing the catalytic converter. It's the rhodium and
palladium and other precious metals that are so valuable thousands
of dollars per ounce, and so some cars you can
(16:53):
get eight nine hundred dollars for a catalytic converter on
the scrap metal market. So when the scrap metal industry
pricing goes down, then the test drops because there's you know,
it's not worth the crime to get one hundred dollars
for a catalytic converter, but if it's a thousand dollars
for that same catalytic converter, then you'll see thefts go up.
So that's what happened a few years back when it
(17:14):
was just rampant around the Virginia region where we were
just having thousands of thousands of caatelic converters. It's because
in relation to that, there were strikes going on elsewhere
in the world where the mines were not operating, so
the precious metal prices went way up, and so those
catalytic converters became extremely valuable. And so we actually partner
with the Recycled Materials Associations where we talk about these
(17:38):
things and we track these things to see our catalytic
converter thefts coming back, and we're watching those trends and
right now we're fortunate that the price of those metals
is down a little bit, so the thefts are down.
But yeah, that's it's when you look at the global picture, right,
you see all these things are all interconnected. The object
here for pees is to make money. So when those
(18:00):
medals are valuable, then they will steal these things. And
it got to the point where some of these gangs
would go out with a shopping list and so they
would be looking for example, a twenty and twelve three
to Prius or a twenty eighteen Volvo XP sixty and
they would ride around suburban areas until they.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Saw one, and then they would follow it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And when you park your car at Target, or at
a grocery store, or in your driveway, they'll pull up
and steal your catalytic converterer and they're literally going out
with a shopping for these most valuable and I'm just
giving examples here that saying might not be accurate. But yeah,
so you say, well, why did someone target my Honda Element, Well,
might have to be one of the vehicles a very
(18:42):
valuable amount of precious metals inside that catalytic converter. And
you think it's a random crime when it's really not.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
It's really the thieves.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Are working like a major criminal enterprise and organized.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Right, what is your major your latest that you've custed
somebody and you've prosecuted him, Got any like that now
that you've recently done.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, we have a huge case that's being investigated in
prosecuted right now in Central Virginia. And without getting in
too many of the details, they'll say that it was
basically an individual that was dealing primarily in Dodge products.
And some of these products have a motor that's called
a Hellcat and it's a very powerful, very rare motor
(19:29):
and it's available on several different models. So they would
steal these Challengers, Chargers and Durango that contained this motor,
and then they would swap parts.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
And they would try to.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Clone them, change the identity, and so it really just
took the diligent work of one officer who just paid.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Attention on his beat.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
He was on routine patrol and he noticed that the
person had a stack of doors in their front yard
and they had a shed was open. He could see
eight or nine fenders, and this is just an almost
suburban home. And that officer knew from our training that
that's not normal, that's probably something going on, so got
a search warrant and really broke open the case to
(20:10):
the point that multiple people across multiple states are being
charged with millions of dollars of death and fraud. And
some of these vehicles have been pieced back together and
entered the stream, like I described earlier, so now they
are being sold through dealerships and through private sale, and
so now the arduous task is for law enforcement to
(20:32):
track those vehicles down and unfortunately notify the owners that
they're in possession of with stolen car. Now, the third, fourth,
fifth owner of that car is not in trouble criminally,
but they're probably going to lose that car, and so
then they have to file their own recourse. So it's
a huge case. It's fantastic work by multiple federal, state,
(20:54):
and local agencies. And it's kind of a culmination of about.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Two years worth of work.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
But it's great to say these guys coming to justice,
and you would be shocked at the crimes that have
been linked to these cars in terms of drive by
shootings and homicides and assaults and robberies and all because
of these stolen cars.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
If your car is stolen, rather, if you buy a
stolen car, are you responsible for then some penalties because
you bought a stolen car?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Well, if you knowing they buy a stolen car, then yes,
of course you're in possession of stolen goods the class
six spelling. But in most cases, people unknowingly buy a
stolen car, and in that case it's tough because in
law enforcement we have to come size that car and
try and get it back to its right flowner. So
the person that brought it is sometimes stuck with no
car and no money. They don't get their money back. Now,
(21:48):
if they buy it from a dealership, of course there's
civil process they can go through to sew and get
their money back.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
But if you, for instance, do what I said you.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Shouldn't do, and that is find an incredible unbelievable deal
on a Facebook marketplace, and you pay twenty thousand dollars
cash for a sixty thousand dollars car, you're probably not
going to get that cash back and you're not going
to get the car.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So that's just we.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Are just constantly talking about using common sense. In fact,
we've created a special section on our website at heat
reward dot com where you can get some tips on
how to avoid being a victim of this type when
you're purchasing a car. Just some things to look out
for and be aware of. And like I said, it's
so easy to create fakes nowadays, whether it's video photos
(22:35):
or checks. So anytime money is involved, need at the
bank if it's a private transaction, and work through the
bank directly, even if you just hand them the check
to verify it's real before you hand over the keys.
And oftentimes that carfax report or an auto check or
any one of those history services is worth the thirty
(22:56):
forty fifty dollars you pay for that, because what will
happen is when a car is rebranded or cloned with
a different identification and then put back into the stream
and sold, it will pop up as a new vehicle,
but with forty fifty thousand miles on it, and so
that's a red flag to.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Law enforcement, should be for you.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Most vehicles, from the day they roll off the assembly line,
they start a history of oil changes in service that
will be reflected most times in a car fax or
an auto check. So if you if you pull that
report and you pay for it, you have access to
it and it shows that the first entry was this
vehicle at sixty thousand miles being sold. That's a problem
(23:36):
and it should not be the case. It's like having
a twenty year old child.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
That you have no baby photo of ever, that no
one ever met. It's like that these things don't just appear.
There's something suspicious there.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
Yeah, if it's too good to be true, it usually is.
And you're out of some money, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Yep, that seems to be the same. You're right.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You also you have you'll come out to events for people, right,
You've made appearances for people to talk about it. Absolutely,
what do you do?
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Our huge part of our program is public outreach, and
so we have a fleet of show vehicles that we
bring out. We bring tenths and tables and our special
agents will go out to public events like car shows
and parades and NASCAR races and smaller tracks like South Boston.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Speedway, and we will interact with.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
The public and we'll have discussions and we'll give out
free promotional items and just talk to people about the
simple steps that they can take to prevent more vehicle tests.
And that's a huge part of our job. We love
that it's great to get out and interact with people
and they get to see our cars and ask all
the questions. And then there's also a service we offer
(24:46):
for free where we will take the vehicle identification number
of your car and we will etch it on every portion.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Of glass on your vehicle.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
And it's kind of a deterrent to thieves, just like
putting an alarm sign in front of your home. It
tells these don't mess with this. Find an easier target.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
So we host.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Events all over the Commonwealth in the warmer months. So
now where we will partner with the local police and
in a parking lot of say a target or a
walmart of a police station, people can bring their cars
and in just.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
A few minutes we will atch the glass.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Of their vehicle for free and give them some promotion
items and send them on their way. So there's a
great events, good pr All of these events are listed
and not only on our Facebook page for the Heat program,
but also at the website Heat Reward dot com.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
And now you also have Heat Award winners. What is
that for.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
That's one of my favorite parts of my dog com.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That is great.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
We recognize our insurance industry and law enforcement partners for
the extraordinary work that they're doing the combat motor vehicle sets.
So coming up later in August and then in September,
we have two ceremonies at both the Chiefs and Shares
conferences where we will recognize the officers and deputies and
troopers that have done extraordinary work in the previous year
(26:05):
where they've recovered millions of dollars worth of cars or
they've returned vehicles to their rightful owners. Last year I
got to speak about a stolen ATV that actually solved
a stolen goat case from a farm. So we have
some really fun cases. It's amazing the work being done
out there. We have agents that are seizing thirty cars
(26:27):
a day from the ports, you know, just cars that
are stolen trying to get out of the country. So
I love presenting these awards. We do them in conjunction
with the chiefs and sheriffs, and so we get to
be in front of their they get awarded in front
of their own chief or their sheriff. It's a wonderful time.
And all that will be publicized afterwards to Press Relief
(26:48):
and on our website so you can see photos of
it and you can learn about the work that they did.
They deserve to be recognized and sometimes that our law
enforcement doesn't get enough credit. And so this is one
of the ways that we get back to that community
is we want to recognize them for their efforts.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
That's fantastic. That's fantastic. So now in closing, where do
they go to find out all the information they want
to find out and get to you and find just
find out the information.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Sure well, one of the most important things is heatreward
dot com. And at that site, not only can you
get tips on how to prevent being a victim of
all the deaths, but you can also learn about connections
to get us stayed to come to your event. If
you have a neighborhood watch meeting, if it can be
large or small, if you have an event you'd like
us to come to. You can even request whether you
(27:36):
want a show vehicle to come or just an agent
with a table. A lot of different levels there. And
of course we also offer a reward of about the
twenty five thousand dollars for information that leads to arrest.
So if you know of someone that's stealing cars or
stealing cars, or you suspect someone has been doing that,
you have any information at all, you can report that
(27:59):
to the submitted pip on our website or you can
call it one ninety four seven heat h e AP
and we went. And so we love to pay for
these such a thing, even if it's as simple as
just say ring camera footage of someone pulling on door handles.
It might be nothing to you, but to us, the
(28:20):
good break open the case and we want to reward
you for that information. So keep that in.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Mind as well.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
But all of our information can be found on our
Facebook pase or on our website heat reward dot com.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Well, Peter, thank you so much for talking with us
today about this. I know you've helped some people today
and keep doing what you're doing. Keep doing it. It's great.
Thanks a lot, thank you for having me. That's Chargeant
Peter Lazir of the Virginia State Police. You can find
out more at heat reward dot com.
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