Region 2 News
Region 2a Director:  Donald Schifani, Montgomery Co. Sheriff's Office
Region 2b Director:  Bill Smith, Harris Co. Sheriff's Office

Submitted by Bill Smith, Harris Co. Sheriff's Office

On October 23, 2011, a complainant reported his 2009 Ford F-150 P/U stolen to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.  The offense occurred at 19015 Village Maple Court, in Houston, Texas, a location in Patrol District Four.   The complainant had security cameras that monitored his driveway which recorded a juvenile suspect committing the offense.  The video shows the suspect entering the driver’s door of the complainant’s Chevrolet Suburban, which was unlocked.  It appeared that the suspect searched through the center console of the vehicle and found a key.  It then appeared that the suspect tried to start the vehicle without success. 

The suspect exited the Suburban and entered the driver’s door of the complainant’s Ford F-150 P/U, which also was unlocked.  He was able to start the Ford truck and then sat in the vehicle for a short time and appeared to be adjusting the mirrors and radio.  The juvenile then drove across the complainant’s lawn and drove away with the vehicle.

The suspect was seen a couple of hours later at an acquaintance’s residence at 2943 Walnut Knoll Way, in Houston, Texas.  This location is also in Patrol District Four.  Two witnesses at that location identified the juvenile suspect from a photo spread and stated that they had seen him operating the vehicle.  The vehicle was later recovered by the Texas Department of Public Safety in Huntsville, Texas.   The vehicle was unoccupied.

Deputy Lehmann presented the case to the District Attorney’s Office and a charge of Theft $20,000 - $100,000 was accepted on the juvenile on November 03, 2011.   

During his investigation Deputy Lehmann learned that the juvenile had previously been arrested on October 14, 2011, by the Katy ISD Police Department.  On that date he was observed operating a stolen van, which was owned by Comcast, in the parking lot of Mayde Creek High School.  This location is also located in Patrol District Four.  The juvenile was charged with UUMV in that case. 

The juvenile was also arrested on November 02, 2011, by District One Patrol Deputy L. Gonzales, under Harris County case number 11-146911.  He was arrested at a Best Buy Store located at 10777 North Frwy., Houston, for Criminal Mischief $50 - $500. 

Less than twelve hours later the juvenile was again arrested by District Four Patrol Deputy M. Lunsford at 19627 Spanish Needle, in Houston, Texas.  The juvenile was in possession of another stolen vehicle and charged with Theft $1,500 - $20,000.   The Harris County case number was 11-147216.

On Monday, November 07, 2011, the juvenile was again observed operating another stolen vehicle in the 100 block of South Greenhouse, another location in Patrol District Four.  The juvenile fled in the vehicle from a Precinct Five Patrol Deputy.  During the pursuit the juvenile intentionally struck a citizen’s vehicle and the marked Precinct Five patrol unit in an attempt to flee.  The pursuit ended when another citizen’s vehicle struck the stolen vehicle as the juvenile ran a red light while traveling on the wrong side of the roadway.  The Harris County case number was 11-149111.

In all, the juvenile was arrested four separate times on four separate dates in twenty five days.   He was charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor.  On three of the four times he was released back to his parents by the juvenile probation division. 

 

 

Submitted by Bill Smith, Harris Co. Sheriff's Office

1) I attended a mini-Intel meeting with the South Texas Association of Special Investigation Units and discussed the pending Legislative issues and requested their assistance with their employer Insurance companies for support. Also discussed were some trends, trucks, motorcycles, tailgates, and catalytic converter theft. I advised them our task force was trying to get 2 investigators more training on insurance fraud to assist in any vehicle insurance fraud cases that are referred to us by other agencies, SIUs, the State Insurance Fraud unit, NICB, or anyone else. They made available complimentary invitations for 3 of our personnel to attend the Texas Association of Special Investigation Units held on May 5, 2011.

2) I worked with Webster PD Det. J. Latham, HPD Auto Theft Investigator Jim Woods, HPD Auto Theft Sgt. C. Stewart while he is assigned to the FBI Property Crime Task Force, Montgomery County Auto Theft Task Force, Det. D. Schifani, and the Philippines National Investigation Bureau, in combining everyone’s resources in the investigation of a multi-country vehicle and motorcycle theft ring involving thefts from Houston, Harris County, Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas being transported to the Philippines and being advertised for sale on a website. Investigation is continuing following search warrants being executed in the Philippines where at least 25 luxury vehicles were recovered including a Martins Bros. motorcycle (stolen from Houston, Tx.) valued at over $70,000.00 and 15 motorcycles at one location and 13 other motorcycles and a Corvette and other vehicles from other locations. It was also reported that there was a black book recovered that listed clients that purchased high-powered firearms from the U.S., including .50 caliber rifles and M4 assault rifles.   

3) I am continuing working with our Harris County Tax Office to create a Title Service and Title Fraud unit operated from our Auto Theft Unit as a continuation of working county licensed and unlicensed title services as we have for the past 10 years and in addition to and in anticipation of a statewide title service law being passed. Showing patterns of the title services tied to organized criminal activity, prison and border gangs, narcotics, forgery, bank fraud, money laundering, etc.. 

4) I have hopefully made the connections for Super Circuit tech supervisors, Jake Lahmann and Keith Harris, to contact Wayne Browning to volunteer to instruct at this upcoming TAVTI. 

5) I have hopefully completed the arrangements for possibly Vigilant Video and maybe Super Circuits to be sponsors at the conference as well as having a slight possibility of sponsoring a hole at the golf tournament. I have referred both them to Wayne Browning to discuss those possibilities. 

Other than these items things are busy as usual as well as assisting the Harris County Tax Assessor’s office, the Montgomery County Tax Assessor Collector’s office, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office, Auto Theft Task Force, and representatives of Senator’s T. Williams’ office on the writing and re-writing and suggesting and re-suggesting and pleading for wording to be corrected and re-pleading for wording to be corrected with the SB 1035, the Texas Title Service Licensing law and trying to recover a few vehicles and put a few crooks in jail.

 

 

Submitted by Jim Woods, Houston Police Department

Fox News Broadcast Link, Galveston - Car Thefts Down, Car Part Thefts Up

 

 

Submitted by Bill Smith

Nationwide Insurance Awards Bait Cars to Harris Co. SO - click here for story