H.E.A.T. sticks it to auto thieves

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. James Ramirez
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Laughlin's Airmen and Family Readiness Center in cooperation with the Del Rio Police Department has another opportunity to help protect vehicles. The program is called Help End Auto Theft and is designed to decrease the chances of your vehicle being stolen.

Detective Mark Guerra, DRPD Auto Theft Unit, has spearheaded this effort to ensure servicemembers have added protection for their vehicles.

"The way we see it, we have all these people at Laughlin risking their lives when they deploy and on a day-to-day basis, the least we can do is make sure their vehicles are safe when they get back home," said Guerra.

"The way H.E.A.T. works is once a vehicle's information is entered into the Texas Crime Information Center a sticker is placed on the vehicle that allows for our patrol units to stop vehicles going into Mexico to ensure the registered driver is actually in the car," said Guerra.

Guerra noted that TCIC is a part of the National Crime Information Center which, can help protect your vehicle all over the nation.

"We are five minutes from the border, so this is a very effective tool to have as less than two percent of stolen vehicles are H.E.A.T. registered and I have never had a H.E.A.T. registered vehicle stolen while working for the DRPD," he said.

Guerra has enhanced awareness of this program by attending newcomer's orientations on base by coordinating with Anthony Williams of AFRC.

"Participation with DRPD and this type of program is essential to protecting our vehicles given our proximity to Mexico," said Williams.

H.E.A.T. registrations are free and can be completed online at http://records.txdps.state.tx.us/heat. Once the stickers are received, appointments can be made at anytime for installation of H.E.A.T. stickers by calling Guerra at (830)-734-4073 or Williams at (830)-298-5620.