Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has announced the significant results of Illinois’ statewide task forces in addressing carjackings, auto thefts, and catalytic converter thefts. With the support of state funding, the Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force (ISATT) led 1,854 investigations in fiscal year 2024, recovering 1,346 vehicles valued at $30 million.
ISATT also assisted local agencies in recovering 414 additional vehicles, worth nearly $9 million, and filed 545 criminal charges, 385 of which were felonies.
In Chicago, the Major Auto Thefts Investigations Unit (CMATI) recovered 1,391 vehicles worth approximately $28 million and made 440 arrests through 1,130 investigations.
Additionally, the Illinois State Police Expressway Safety Enforcement Group (ESEG) used air operations to recover stolen vehicles and assist law enforcement 110 times.
“These efforts are critical to ensuring that families across Illinois are protected from the rising threat of carjackings and auto theft,” said Giannoulias. State officials, including Senator Lakesia Collins and Representative Yolonda Morris, emphasized the importance of these initiatives for improving community safety.
The funding, totaling $3.4 million for ISATT, $1.4 million for CMATI, and $675,000 for ESEG, enables law enforcement agencies to invest in personnel, body cameras, drones, and vehicle tracking devices to enhance their operations.
