Auto Theft and the Mexican Border: (Two Thousand Miles of Unlawful Commerce)

By Detective Elias Camacho

Of the thousands of stolen vehicles each year, many are stolen along the Mexican and U.S. Border. Where do these vehicles go? Are these stolen vehicles ever found?

What are the U.S. Law Enforcement personnel doing to prevent, locate and repatriate these stolen cars? Is Mexican Law Enforcement personnel involved in this lucrative trade? What are American Consulates and Embassies doing to retrieve these stolen cars back to the U.S.?

Learn from a 39 year Auto theft veteran Investigator who worked in Mexico for 17 years, of what happens to these stolen cars. Learn of what preventative measures (if any) that can be implemented to help you keep your car from being stolen. Learn if any current treaties exist that can help the victim of stolen vehicles found in foreign countries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781475972986

Detective Elias Camacho

Elias A. Camacho was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He attended Jefferson High School and El Paso Community College, where he obtained an associate’s degree in criminal justice. Elias is a Vietnam veteran having served in the United states Navy for six years, five of which were aboard the USS Constellation CVA 64.(CVA64 is an aircraft carrier.) Elias Joined the El Paso Police Department in 1970, where he served as patrol officer, auto theft detective, Mexico liaison officer, and crime prevention specialist. In 1988–89, he was named “Detective of the Year.” Additionally, he received a certificate of merit from the El Paso mayor and city council. In 1992, Elias joined the National Insurance Crime Bureau (previously the National Automobile Theft Bureau) as a special agent with a special Texas Ranger commission from the state of Texas. He was assigned as a foreign agent and worked the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Colima, and Nayarit for seventeen years. During the last two years of employment, he also worked the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosi. Besides conducting training sessions in Mexico, Elias has also conducted auto theft training in Panama, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and the United States. Elias has received various awards and recognitions, such as the Texas Director of Public Safety Award. Elias has testified in court as an auto theft expert. He continues to be a member of the Texas Association of Vehicle Theft Investigators and the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators. Elias retired in 2009 from the NICB and is now a Texas licensed private investigator.

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Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 Working On The Border

Chapter 2 The Investigation

Chapter 3 The Theft

Chapter 4 Transportation Theft

Chapter 5 Theft For Parts

Chapter 6 Commercial Theft

Chapter 7 Treaties

Chapter 8 Recovery Of Stolen Vehicles

Chapter 9 Corruption

Chapter 10 Arrest And Prosecution In Mexico

Chapter 11 Affiliates

Chapter 12 Insurance

Chapter 13 Auto Theft Prevention

Conclusion

About The Author

Preface

T HE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the United Mexican States are neighbors and share 1,969 miles of border. Although both countries are free, independent, and sovereign, they share many similar interests. Politics, culture, and income can be as different as night and day. However, due to their proximity, both countries do share crime, particularly property crimes. The United States contributes the most in terms of supplying property; Mexico supplies the thieves. Although the illegal transportation of drugs appears in the media every day and gains most of our attention, auto theft is one of the leading property crimes that occur along the border. This one crime has the greatest impact on individuals and the economy.

I was involved in police work along the US-Mexico border for almost forty years, twenty-six of which were directly connected to auto theft. I have helped recover well over nine thousand stolen vehicles with the vast majority found in Mexico. I wrote this book to share a bulk of my experiences from my job. I am often asked for an opinion from insurance representatives, police officers, lawyers, and others about what I think happens to these stolen cars that are never found. I am also asked if I personally recommend any deterrents.

In any event, once people become aware that I was an auto theft detective who worked in Mexico, they often tell me about a car that was stolen. The vehicle was either theirs or belonged to a relative or friend. They will ask me about what happens to these cars that are never found. They also wonder if they could have done anything to prevent the theft. Additionally, they will ask if I have an idea as to who is stealing these cars.

I am frequently asked about Mexican law enforcement and corruption in Mexico. It seems they have all heard about the corruption of the Mexican Federal Police and their involvement, direct or indirect, in the auto theft problem. Some frequent questions include the following:

•   Are stolen vehicles ever actually found and returned to their owners?

•   Is it true that the Mexican Federal Police are driving these stolen cars?

•   How does the judicial system work in Mexico?

•   What is US law enforcement doing, or better yet, what can they do to help with the problem?

•   If a person had his or her car stolen and taken to Mexico, what can he or she do to get it back?

All of these are just a sample of questions that I’m frequently asked. I have discussed the same topics as a speaker for various local groups and organizations within my community.

Many unknown factors are related to the ongoing issue of auto theft. Many of these are commonly hidden from the public and, on many occasions, from law enforcement agencies and lawmakers as well. Nevertheless, various local, state, and federal laws exist that, in one way or another, affect the locating and recovery of these stolen vehicles. Moreover, specific procedures detailed by conventions and treaties between the United States and Mexico can be confusing and out of touch with today’s world. All of these laws and treaties will—in one way or another—impact anyone who has had a car stolen and had the car located in Mexico. Apart from current laws, culture also plays an important role in auto theft recovery.

Throughout my career, I have conducted many lectures and training sessions for law enforcement in the United States and Mexico. These training sessions conducted for law enforcement are technical in nature and consist of confidential information that I cannot discuss in this book.

At the time of my employment, I was not free to express my personal feelings or discuss certain information about these topics. This agreement kept confidential information a secret and prevented my emotions from coming into play. In some cases, it was for my own safety. In addition, at other times, my employers restricted me for political or internal reasons, and at times, not even my employers knew of certain things that I did. Some things were better off not said. Although I had no control of the wind, I learned to adjust the sails.

Upon my retirement and with my family’s encouragement, I could finally put my experiences into writing. I want to provide answers to many of those unanswered questions and give you a better image into the unknown world of auto theft.

I have changed the names of people to protect the identities of the innocent and, in some cases, the guilty.

Acknowledgements

O BVIOUSLY, YOU OBTAIN YOUR KNOWLEDGE and experiences from various sources collected throughout your life. Just as you are what you eat, you are also what you learn.

When it comes to my chosen career, I have many people to thank. What I have been able to learn, for the most part, I have not learned on my own. For that reason, I want to acknowledge all the people who helped me in my career and added their grain of sand to my professional growth. To those from whom I learned a lot, to those with whom we learned together, and to those who allowed me to share my knowledge and experience with, I say thank you.

I owe my gratitude to Sergeant Curtis Williams, Detective John Seelig, Sergeant Mario Cisneros, and Detective Rick Salazar from the El Paso Police Department. Special thanks to Texas Ranger David Duncan, Captain Randolph Messick, Lieutenant Mario Flores, Lieutenant Fernando Aguilar, and Sergeant Manny Lozano from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Special thanks to Special Agent Lou Barragan from the El Paso FBI Office; Joe Pierron, Danny Dobson, and Henry Lipe from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB); and last but not least, Ruben Gonzales from the Texas Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

I would also like to acknowledge the NICB for its brochures and online information on vehicle theft and recovery statistics. Along with that, I want to acknowledge the yearly statistics from the FBI’s annual statistics report, which were very helpful in writing this book. I appreciate the NICB vendors from whom I learned many valuable things that I would never have imagined, especially to vendor Francisco Javier Licon, who died in the line of duty.

Special thanks to all those fine Mexican police officers who became my friends and whom I was privileged to know, along with all those fine and loyal Mexican officers who believed in doing the right thing and telling things the way they were and the many who gave their lives for believing in that.

Special thanks to my lovely wife of forty-five years, Gloria, who has stood beside me for years in the thick and thin of things as I went out on my adventures. She has always encouraged me to move forward. Thank you, honey, for saying, You can.

Special thanks to my beautiful daughter, Lory, and her husband, Albert; my two sons, Marco and Elias; and my daughter-in-law, Veronica. As the song says, you people are the wind beneath my feet.

And finally, special thanks to Sandra San Miguel and Luis Heimpel for helping me with the editing of this book.

Introduction

A FTER GRADUATING FROM THE EL Paso Police Academy in May 1970, I was assigned to the uniformed radio patrol division as a patrol officer. In 1976, I was promoted to detective after taking a competitive test and ranking among the top of the list. When promoted, I was assigned to the auto theft division.

Before I knew it, I had been working in the auto theft division for ten years. Moreover, although I was very fond of my work, I felt as if I needed something else. In general, the cases were not going anywhere. I handled twenty to thirty cases at any given time, and the vast majority of the cases would be filed away as inactive due to the lack of evidence and leads. Of those I could work on, around 1 to 2 percent, I would have some type of information that would eventually lead to an arrest.

In 1986, after sixteen years in the El Paso Texas Police Department, I heard of an opening in the crime prevention unit. I felt this was a perfect opportunity for a change. It was a chance to help prevent auto thefts rather than to continue trying to find a stolen car that was much like a ghost. After a number of interviews, I was accepted and sent to the Texas Crime Prevention Institute at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, for a two-week training course in crime prevention. Upon my graduation, I earned the title of crime prevention specialist, and I was soon giving presentations and lectures to the public. I was also conducting security inspections and surveys.

I had only been doing this for about a month when, during breakfast one morning, my son Elias Jr., a high school student at the time, screamed, My truck is gone!

It caught me unexpectedly, and I did not know what to think of it. I had just bought an older, used Chevrolet Luv pickup for my son to use for school. When he gave us the news, the rest of my family and I ran outside and stared at the empty driveway. After a few seconds of looking at the emptiness of the driveway, I walked out to the street, thinking I would see the truck in one of my neighbor’s driveways.

This cannot be happening to me. I am a cop who works for crime prevention. Who would do this to us? I was in shock. I felt useless. What can I do now?

After filing a report at the police department, I drove around the city, checking places I suspected would harbor a stolen truck or sites where a truck could be abandoned and stripped. We put a lot of work into buying that truck. I also spent countless hours adjusting its appearance. I bought some new large tires, gave the truck a new paint job, and bought brand-new chrome roll bars. We were also having trouble with the battery, and every morning, my son would have to get up and use the battery charger to get it started. Therefore, the truck was not even functioning properly, and I wondered if the thieves had to tow it.

Did they have a booster?

And worse off, I had no theft insurance. I searched for that truck for months. It has been over twenty-five years now, and the truck has never been found.

I was now a part of the annual statistics. Everything became personal. I had just joined the ranks of thousands of car owners who annually lose a vehicle in the United States. Yes, I became the victim, and even though I was a cop, I was not spared. I then knew how it truly felt to be victimized, and I took more of a personal interest in my work, not just on the prevention aspect of auto theft, but also in the detection and recovery of stolen vehicles in general.

CHAPTER 1

Working on the Border

A FTER I WAS PROMOTED TO detective in 1976 and assigned to work in the auto theft division, I quickly learned how much Mexico influences our auto theft rate. Only the Rio Grande divides downtown El Paso and downtown Juarez, Mexico. If you were to stand on the American side and use a baseball bat to hit a fast-pitched ball, it would wind up in Juarez. That is just how close they are.

Each day, theft reports came in, and some cars seemed to just disappear completely. Our auto theft division had a Mexico liaison unit composed of two detectives assigned to drive to Mexico every day and make contact with the Mexican police. Their duties were to try to get them to cooperate, not only with finding stolen cars, but also assisting with other crimes. I learned that, although the cooperation between the Mexican Police and the United States seemed to be adequate, the relationship still had room for much improvement. We always suspected that Mexican law enforcement officers were somehow involved in the auto thefts. However, because we had no investigative authority in Mexico, we had to accept things as they were. I guess you could say that we just left it alone and looked the other way.

In the early 1980s, supervisors in our unit changed. The lieutenant heard about the possible involvement of the Mexican police in auto theft. Our new supervisors now wanted us to obtain some type of proof of their connection. The department was going to try to apply for a federal grant. The evidence would help to prove that auto theft was an international problem, not just a local issue.

We first gathered intelligence from arrested individuals from Mexico. However, most of them would not say a thing. I distinctly remember the arrest of a nineteen-year-old man I had interviewed.

He spoke to me in Spanish. Look, man, if I tell you what you want to know, then I am a goner, and maybe so is my family. On the other hand, if I keep quiet, my family will be taken care of. Besides after two years locked up, I will come out better educated and speaking English better than you do.

I knew he was right, except for the speaking English part. However, we did obtain bits and pieces here and there and found enough information to get a better image of what was going on. After the interview with this man, we came out with an execution plan. We were sure that local car thieves, or mules, were committing the thefts. These mules would take stolen cars over to Juarez, Mexico, mostly during the night. Our intelligence told us that the mules dropped the vehicles off at certain hotels in Juarez where some members of the Mexican Federal Police would pick them up and drive them off.

Detective Bob and I were assigned to be part of the surveillance team that would go across the border. We had an older Ford van that had been equipped with one-way back windows. We also had photo equipment and portable radios to communicate, and we made sure to leave all of our police identifications behind. In case something went wrong, we would not be identified as US police officers. Another group of detectives would canvass the area late at night and very early in the morning. Their job was to try to locate the stolen cars that had been dropped off during the night.

We already had names of some motels that were used as drop-off locations. Bob and I would receive the location and set up before daybreak. One of our team members would drive the van with Bob and me inside over to Juarez and park it at the surveillance location. These stolen vehicles, which usually numbered three to five, were parked together or close by. They included Camaros, Good Times vans, Ford LTDs, Firebirds, and similar type vehicles. After parking the surveillance van, the driver would walk away, and another one of our units would pick him up. Bob and I, of course, had an extra set of keys should we need to drive off. We would then sit and wait for some activity.

Usually around nine in the morning, we would see some male individuals in their midtwenties come out of their motel room close to where the cars were parked. They would come out with baggage, walk up to the stolen car, open the vehicle, and place their gear in the trunk. They would then walk to the motel restaurant where they would have breakfast and then check out.

These people (one for each vehicle) would later get into the stolen cars and drive off in a convoy. (Sometimes they would change the stolen plates for Mexican plates.) During this time, we would take photos of the suspects and the stolen cars. Once the cars started to move, Bob or I would get behind the steering wheel, start the van, and follow the stolen cars. We would then inform the other units with our handheld radios of our movement and direction of travel. We would follow these vehicles on the Pan-American Highway, the Mexican highway that leads south out of Juarez. The suspects would stop for fuel and continue on their way afterward. At the El 28 checkpoint (so named because it was twenty-eight kilometers from the border), the vehicles would have to stop for Mexican customs officers operating the checkpoint to clear them. During this time, Bob would take photos of the activity.

At this checkpoint, all vehicles must stop for inspection, and all drivers and passengers have to show identification. If they were Mexican citizens and their vehicle was a Mexican vehicle, they were allowed passage. Sometimes the vehicle and passengers would be checked for contraband. If the driver and passengers were not Mexican citizens, they would have to obtain a permit (visa) from Mexican immigration and another permit for their non-Mexican vehicle as well before they were allowed to continue any further. The requirement to obtain a permit for the American vehicle was that they would need to show ownership of the vehicle by a title. If the vehicle was still being paid for, then a letter from the lienholder allowing the owner to take the vehicle into Mexico was required.

However, in this case, the vehicles approached the checkpoint. Some were still displaying Texas plates. The driver of the lead car would approach the manned checkpoint and flash a badge at the customs officers. He would point to the stolen cars behind him in the convoy while stopped temporarily. The Mexican customs