PEORIA (25News Now) -Peoria Police say they have plans on how to use almost $1.4 in grant money from the state to help combat auto thefts.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force was one of the six communities statewide receiving a total of about $11 million to reduce car thefts and carjackings.
“This grant is specifically it has to be used for preventing, combatting, reducing vehicular hijacking, trying to deter auto theft, investigating auto theft, and also attempting to prevent or deter recycled metal theft, which the most common example of that is catalyst converters,” said Sgt. Chris Fulscher, the task force’s deputy director.
He said the Task Force will invest in technology to identify stolen vehicles and false VIN numbers, and also hiring more personnel.
According to the Peoria County 2024 Annual Report, there was a 30% decrease in juvenile auto theft related charges compared to 2023 and authorities recovered 222 stolen motor vehicles valued over $4 million in 2024.
“Year-to-date, just using a snapshot of July of 24 to present time, there’s been a 50% reduction in just vehicle thefts alone, it’s definitely noticeable,” said Fulscher.
Sgt. Fulscher says the mission is not just [to recover] these vehicles and metals, but also to breakup organized groups that dismantle or sell stolen vehicles and their parts.
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