DALLAS – In town for their big annual gathering, auto dealers donated two vehicles that police will use in catch-a-thief undercover work.
The National Automobile Dealers Assn. gave the vehicles to the police department here, the site of the trade group’s convention and exposition this year.
The Dallas police will use the Ford F-150 and a Nissan Altima as part of its bait-car program, established in 2003 to combat auto thefts and burglaries in vehicles.
The donated vehicles will be outfitted with covert cameras and tracking devices. When a vehicle is stolen or burglarized, police can track it, improving the chances of catching the perpetrators.
“Dealers across the country are active in their communities and are often supporters of their local law enforcement and public services,” says NADA Show Committee Chairman Danny Renshaw, dealer principal of Renshaw Automotive Group in Bowling Green, KY. “We know these vehicles will be put to important work.”
Police agree with Renshaw.
“These vehicles are a welcome addition to our program, which will help decline car burglaries, crimes that are difficult to solve as they often happen quickly without witnesses,” says Dallas Executive Assistant Chief of Police Albert Martinez.
NADA traditionally makes such donations to host cities of its annual conventions.
Past donations have included funds for food banks in Las Vegas, San Francisco and New Orleans as well as grants to various other causes.
