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CarFax, National Vehicle Titling Information System, ScrapMetal.Com, AutoData, National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, CargoNet, National Insurance Crime Bureau, US Postal Service, U.S.
Census Bureau, etc.).
Free resources that can be utilized during the intelligence cycle can include, but are not limited to,
court and property search websites, open source websites, social media, and law enforcement specific
databases.
Information sources that must be paid for can include i2 Analyst Notebook, pawn databases, and
other paid services that provide criminal history, address history, etc.
Free sources that are important for an ATIAs toolbox include NMVITS, NICB, Paintscratch.com,
cars.usnews.com, and rental car websites (See benefits of an ATIA).
Paid sources that are important for an ATIAs toolbox include access to a license plate reader system,
vehicle history reports, cell phone mapping and cell phone identification software (See benefits of an
ATIA).
5. Financial Support of Vehicle Crimes Analysis
An Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), as observed in many states, counties or communities,
operate with the primary mission to prevent vehicle theft. As each auto theft authority is unique,
some operate with funding to support analysis of vehicle crimes. Most auto theft authorities provide
grants or finances, where their funds are either appropriated from general funds, or through special
financing, such as vehicle registration fees, taxes or insurance policy assessments. As the role of a
vehicle crime analyst is typically the centerpiece to identifying, interdicting and assisting in the
reduction of vehicle theft and related crimes, many of the ATPA’s have been supportive of vehicle
crimes analysis.
When exploring how to support an analyst for vehicle crimes, several considerations must be made,
including cost-benefit analysis, technology requirements, and an in-depth review of crime data. It may
not be cost effective to hire afull-time analyst for vehicle crimes in a city with ten auto thefts a year,
but a county that suffers several thousand auto thefts a year would benefit greatly. Additionally, cities
should consider options on how to best utilize the County or State ATPA. In situations where an ATPA
doesn’t exist, crowd funding might be the most cost effective option. Explaining the benefits of an
analyst for vehicle crimes could result in a cost-sharing option where everyone enjoys the benefits
while remaining fiscally responsible. It should be kept in mind that vehicle theft can easily be linked
to other criminal activities, such as gangs, drugs, violent crime and other property crimes. With this
in mind, the efforts and successes performed by an analyst working to reduce vehicle theft will
typically have a direct affect on reducing other crimes, such as bank robberies, financial fraud,
residential burglaries, etc.
6. Training
There are several free training opportunities that can form a basic level officer or recent college
graduate into a basic level intelligence analyst. The National White Collar Crime Center provides three
levels of free training to Law Enforcement members and support personnel and there are several
other free resources within the Analysis Toolkit that can be found at
https://it.ojp.gov/AT/?t=6&q=#resourcesAnchor. There’s also essential training on 28 CFR Part 23
that can be found at https://www.ncirc.gov/28cfr/.
