Insurance money supports Task Force

The Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force formed in the early 1990s when Beaumont had the dubious distinction of having the largest increase in auto thefts of any city in the United States.

Using a state grant, local law enforcement agencies combined forces to create a multi-jurisdictional task force whose mission is to investigate, and through education, prevent auto theft in Southeast Texas. It combines forces from Jasper, Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties.

The grant that supports this task force comes from insurance dollars rather than taxes. $1 is added to every auto insurance policy written in the state for auto theft prevention programs and investigations.

The investigative division uses FUGINET, another grant-funded arm of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, to track fugitives and known auto thieves. A tip from the task force enabled the Jasper County Sheriff's department to apprehend a man wanted in Dallas, and lead to the recovery of goods from several burglaries in Jasper and Tyler counties.