by MOSES LEOS III
Thefts of large model crew cab pick up trucks are on the rise in Buda, according to Police Chief Bo Kidd.
This issue has been problem in larger cities such as Austin, Kyle and San Marcos, but is now extending into Buda proper.
“It is frustrating, as it is difficult to combat the problem,” said Kidd, who has seen the problem rise in the past year. “In 2012, we had a total of 10 vehicles stolen; we have had 3 stolen (in February),” said Kidd, who said one additional theft has already occurred so far in March.
The truck thefts Buda is experiencing follows a similar pattern. The stolen vehicles are all four-door crew cab pick-up trucks; Ford F-250 and F-350, Chevrolet 2500 and 3500 models being the most popular for criminals to steal, due to their expansive space. These trucks are disappearing from the Cabela’s, Logan’s Roadhouse and Chili’s parking lots, which line Interstate 35.
The most troubling aspect has been what these criminals are using the trucks for – human smuggling and drug trafficking. According to Kidd, criminals have been known to remove the back seats from crew cabs, in order to create space for people or drugs,
Criminals are traveling south, smuggling their cargo to and from the border in these larger-sized vehicles. The crew cab trucks are only used for a few weeks, then disposed of, leaving little trace, according to Kidd. This process has made it difficult for police departments to zero in on the truck thieves.
Along the IH-35 corridor, numerous law enforcement departments have had to battle this issue. Locally, the Kyle Police Department is working to keep an eye on these kind of crimes.
According to Kyle Police Department records, 20 trucks have been stolen along the IH-35 corridor since 2010. Five pick-up trucks were stolen in 2010, five that year, seven in 2011 and eight since March.
The recurring theme: the stolen vehicles have been recovered by the United States Border Patrol and Police Departments in South Texas, with the number increasing over the three-year period. In 2010, three of the stolen trucks in the Kyle area were recovered by those agencies, 2011 had five, and seven recovered in 2012.
Much like the problem in Buda, the Kyle Police Department has seen these crimes occur within the parking lots of businesses lining IH-35, specifically HEB, Seton Hospital, Home Depot and Lowe’s.
“Criminals are choosing the larger parking lots due to the ease of access along IH-35,” Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said. “Criminals know people will stay within those stores for a lengthy period of time, which makes it easier for them to get away.”
In Buda, Kidd acknowledges this growing problem and is stepping up law enforcement in the high target areas. However, Kidd said these crimes are difficult to catch in progress, as “they don’t happen every day, or every week. In Kidd’s estimation, the Buda Police Department has dealt with this issue “maybe once a month.”
The surprising speed of truck thieves has also made the process of catching them more difficult. Both police chiefs were adamant that the criminals involved are not amateurs – they are professionals, who need only mere minutes to unlock a vehicle and hotwire it for use.
Despite the struggle to apprehend these criminals, the Buda Police Department, along with many other agencies, have utilized technology to combat truck thefts.
For example, they have used Global Positioning Systems (GPS) within a truck to track vehicles. Kidd recalled one example that occurred within the past year, where Buda Police, along with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) and the Bexar County Sheriff’s office, discovered a drug and human smuggling safe house by retracing the last entry in a theft victim’s GPS device.
OnStar, a GPS service provider, and similar technologies also play a big factor in maintaining vehicle security. Those services are able to pinpoint the exact location of a stolen vehicle.
Barnett said he strongly encourages those with targeted trucks to seek out additional means of security. Steering wheel, ignition and gearshift column locks are some of the most common security devices since they make the theft of the vehicle more difficult.
“People should spend the time and effort to keep their vehicles safe,” Barnett said.
Vehicle information is also key for citizens when a theft does occur. “Should the worst occur, people need to have secondary sources of vehicle identification. Often, people do not know their license plate or vehicle identification number, which delays the search process,” Barnett said.
While technology has aided the effort to curb this problem, common sense also plays a big role. One issue that has risen in Buda has been the theft of firearms from trucks left in large parking lots. Buda Police warn owners of these trucks to refrain from leaving firearms in their vehicles.
“Criminals looking for these trucks find the weapons. They see them as an added bonus,” said Buda Police Detective Erica Simmons. She explained that weapons recovered by these thieves have been pawned or used by the criminals themselves. Buda Police also ask citizens to not leave trucks in parking lots overnight.
Both Kidd and Barnett made it clear that constant vigilance from the public the best deterrent against these crimes. “People must pay attention to where they park. The more visible you have your vehicle, the less chance it will get stolen,” Kidd said. “Leaving valuables in your truck increases the chance of it being stolen.”
