Law enforcement honored for recovering stolen vehicles worth over $1.5M

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — Local law enforcement officers were recognized Wednesday for their work in recovering stolen vehicles.

The 27th Annual Auto Theft Advisory Committee (ATAC) Awards Ceremony honored 33 law enforcement officers from almost every agency in San Diego County, and one from Tijuana, at the Prado in Balboa Park Wednesday morning.

Combined, the honorees arrested 71 people and recovered 188 vehicles valued at more than $1.5 million in 2016. Their diligence resulted in the arrests of 143 suspects.

“During our down time, when not answering calls for service, I’m checking streets, moving or parked finding the cars,” California Highway Patrol officer Jason Hughes, an honoree at the event, said. “You find a lot of different criminals if they’re stealing cars, they’re up to other stuff hiding their identity, so it leads to more than a stolen vehicle sometimes.”

Officer Hughes was responsible for the recover of 28 vehicles last year.

The Auto Theft Advisory Committee is a partnership between law enforcement, insurance and car-related companies.