| For immediate release James J. Saunders, SAC $1.4 Million in Stolen Property Recovered in Operation Tow Truck |
|
|
Council Bluffs, IA-Nineteen people from both Nebraska and Iowa have been arrested on federal and state charges after a year long undercover investigation into auto thefts in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.
During the month of January, 2007 officers with the Iowa State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a store front called "Chicago Imports" at 821 South 27 th St. in Council Bluffs. The goal was to create a location where under cover law enforcement officials could survey and document the sale of stolen property, specifically vehicles, by known criminals. Officers chose the Council Bluffs/Omaha area due to the high number of car thefts reported each year. In Omaha for example, a total of 3,433 vehicle thefts were reporter in 2006 and 3,211 thefts reported through November of 2007.
This project was dubbed, "Operation Tow Truck." During the course of Operation Tow Truck, law enforcement officers made 84 different transactions, some of which included the sale and purchase of multiple items, including: 37 Cars/SUV's 25 Pick-ups 22 Guns 30 Construction Items 6 Motorcycles 4 Jet Skis 2 Boats Various Illegal Drugs These items were reported stolen from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and Texas as early as March, 2006 and as recent as December, 2007. To purchase the stolen goods, law enforcement expended $70,900. Strikingly, the estimated value of the stolen property, not including the illicit drugs, sits at more than $1.4 million. Law enforcement paid just 5 cents on the dollar to recover the stolen property. After more than 9 months of operation, Chicago Imports closed its doors on November 1 st, 2007. Officers did however make several more transactions at various other locations after the store front closed, in order to collect more information on several of the subjects. As the investigation progressed, it became apparent to law enforcement there was an organized network of criminals, not random walk-ins, who chose to do business with "Chicago Imports."
As of 2:30PM, January 8, 2007, 19 individuals have been officially charged, as a direct consequence of their interaction with "Chicago Imports" and the undercover officers who staffed the store front. Federal charges levied against 12 individuals in both Nebraska and Iowa include Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Receipt or Sale of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Stolen Property, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Sale and Possession of Stolen Firearms. The identity of those receiving federal charges cannot be released, as the federal indictments are sealed until each individual appears before a federal judge. However, 7 individuals are receiving a variety of State charges in Pottawattamie County. During Operation Tow Truck, more than a dozen agencies worked together to ensure the recovery of stolen property and eventual arrest and prosecution of known criminals. Because of the professionalism and commitment offered by these agencies, no subject, officer or civilian was injured during the course of the operation and arrests. Much thanks should be given to:
Iowa State Patrol Federal Bureau of Investigation National Insurance Crime Bureau Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Council Bluffs Police Department Omaha Police Department Nebraska State Patrol Iowa Department of Public Safety Intelligence Bureau Southwest Iowa Region 4 Fusion Center Sioux City Region 1 Fusion Center S.W.I.N.E. Task Force Law Enforcement Intelligence Network Pottawattamie County Attorney Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement Washington County, Nebraska Sheriff's Office Douglas County, Nebraska Attorney US Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa US Attorney for the District of Nebraska. |