Auto thefts have become a major problem in the area of Dallas, Texas. But, local law enforcement agencies will be getting major help, in the form of DNA testing. A federal grant of $500,000 has been given to Dallas County, which will be used by police officers, prosecutors, and the Dallas County crime lab for DNA testing. The program is called the Forensic Evidence Auto Recovery program (FEAR). Dallas officers will be able to swab areas of the vehicles where thieves may have touched. This is a crucial process in order to track down thieves and possible chop shops that sell salvaged parts.
Sergeant David Landry stated, “Convictions and longer sentences are the results that Dallas County is looking for. If I can link one person with one car, you may be able to explain it away for whatever reason. But, it’s harder to explain several.”
The DNA retrieval program could begin as early as the month of March within Dallas County. Running a chop shop, stealing vehicles, or selling these cars to a chop shop are considered a charge that is part of organized crime. If the person convicted has a prior felony conviction, the charge of organized crime is a sentence of 20 years or more in prison. If the person involved in the crime only stole a vehicle, he or she can be punished with a prison term of up to 10 years. The grant was awarded from the Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice. Law enforcement officials feel this program will be a success because hot-wiring the fuse box to steal a car requires the gloves of the thief to be removed. This is done because the items are so very intricate, causing the thieves to leave their fingerprints on the vehicle. Ultimately, a Nissan dealer Fife is confident that new practices in law enforcement and the advancement of automotive technology will help reduce auto theft dramatically in the near term.
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