Six law enforcement agencies will share more than $11 million in state grants to prevent carjackings and car thefts.
The grants will be used to buy equipment such as license plate readers and vehicle tracking devices.
“The bottom line is that people shouldn’t have to fear that they’ll be robbed of their vehicle at gunpoint when they get into their car each day,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said at a news conference Wednesday. “Working together, we will continue to not only make our roads safer but also communities, neighborhoods, and business districts.”
Grants were awarded to the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force, and the Chicago Police Department’s Major Auto Theft Investigations Unit.
Other law enforcement agencies receiving grant money are the St. Clair County Sheriff Department’s Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, Peoria’s Police Department Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force, and Illinois State Police Expressway Safety Enforcement Group.
The grants are funded by insurance companies, which pay he Secretary of State’s office $1 for every vehicle insured. The six agencies will be able to access grant funding by July 1.
Chicago had 1,646 carjackings in 2022 and 1,297 in 2023, according to the Chicago Police Department.
The Chicago Police Department offers motor theft programming for residents through its Office of Community Policing and the Vehicular Hijacking Task Force. The offices provide services such as vehicle tracking and recovery and hosting vehicle safety days.