AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – 15 Panhandle agencies partnered with the Panhandle Auto Burglary & Theft Unit to combat catalytic converter thefts.

In a combined catalytic converter grant funded by the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, more than $500,000 was awarded to the Panhandle Auto Burglary and Theft Unit.

15 agencies, including the Borger, Cactus, Canyon, Dumas and Pampa police departments, came together to purchase equipment for all to use to combat catalytic converter thefts.

The money will be spent to add more than 100 license plate readers around the Panhandle, along with a drone and other equipment.

This equipment will help with car break-ins, missing person cases and more.

“Some of the equipment we are receiving is license plate reading cameras that will be stationed throughout the Texas Panhandle that will assist in the investigation of car thefts, car thefts, any type of crime, missing person cases, wanted persons, things like that,” said Commander Patrick McBroom, Panhandle Burglary and Auto Theft Unit.

Moore, Ochiltree, Donley, Dallam and Carson County Sheriff’s Offices are just a few of the departments receiving assistance from this grant.

Commander McBroom said they had a huge increase in catalytic converter thefts a few years ago. The increase prompted legislation to appropriate money for these grants.

“License plate cameras can be used in a number of ways, from developing suspects in cases to catching people who are actually committing crimes,” McBroom said. “Silver alerts or things like that, we can find missing people or missing elderly people, things like that. It’s not just for crime, it helps with public safety.”

Although thefts have decreased recently, Commander McBroom predicts this will become a problem again as prices rise.

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