H.E.A.T. Celebrates 25 Years of Auto Theft Prevention

LIVONIA, Mich., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- H.E.A.T. (Help Eliminate Auto Thefts) marked its 25th anniversary today with a breakfast celebration and awards ceremony.  Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. delivered the event's keynote address before an audience of roughly 200 government officials, law enforcement personnel and representatives from the insurance industry.

H.E.A.T. is Michigan's statewide auto theft prevention program.  H.E.A.T. coordinates citizen action with law enforcement agencies through a confidential, 24/7, toll-free tip line (1-800-242-HEAT) and website (www.1800242HEAT.com) for reporting information on auto theft-related crimes.  To date, H.E.A.T. has received more than 8,500 tip calls, which have to lead to the recovery of more $52 million in stolen property.  As a result, nearly 3,500 suspects have been arrested and more than 2,000 tipsters have been awarded approximately $3.5 million.

Justice Young spoke to the crowd about H.E.A.T.'s accomplishments over the past 25 years and how, through H.E.A.T., the partnership between law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and Michigan residents has made a measurable impact on communities statewide.

"The H.E.A.T. program is an excellent example of how public agencies and private companies can work together to produce positive results in our state," said Young.  "This partnership has become essential in the fight against the socioeconomic costs associated with auto theft-related crime, making our neighborhoods, communities and our state a better place to live."

"Over the past 25 years, H.E.A.T. was worked to not only keep neighborhoods safe, but to provide economic stability for Michigan residents through lower insurance rates and tip-line payouts," said Terri Miller, Director of H.E.A.T.  "Today is a celebration of all of our partners who, by working together, are making our communities stronger."

H.E.A.T. presented several awards at the event, including the prestigious William V. Liddane

Award, the Director's Award and the H.E.A.T. Investigator of the Year Awards.  The

Liddane Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the fight against auto theft in Michigan.  The H.E.A.T. Investigator of the Year and Director's Awards honor law enforcement and others for their tenacity and hard work in auto theft investigation, arrest, recovery and prevention.  This year's award recipients are:

WILLIAM V. LIDDANE AWARD

• Lt. Bill Darnell – Western Wayne Auto Theft

H.E.A.T. INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

• Officer Michael Davis – Detroit Police Department

• Hamtramck Police Department
  • Inv. Greg Collins
  • Inv. Glenn Kay

• Genesee Auto Investigative Network
  • Lt. Kevin Shanlian
  • Deputy Sgt. Sharon Dunbar
  • Deputy Sgt. Todd Beard
  • Det. Todd Johnson

H.E.A.T. DIRECTOR'S AWARD

• Walt Herndon – Herndon & Associates

About H.E.A.T.

H.E.A.T. works with Michigan law enforcement agencies to follow-up on tips.  Tipsters are awarded up to $1,000 if the tip leads to the arrest and prosecution of a suspected car thief or a person suspected of auto theft-related insurance fraud.  Rewards of up to $10,000 are issued if a tip results in the arrest and binding over for trial of a suspected theft ring or chop shop operators.  H.E.A.T. rewards up to $2,000 for information leading to the issuance of a warrant for a carjacking suspect.  The H.E.A.T. tip line is monitored by the Michigan State Police and funded by Michigan's auto insurance companies.

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SOURCE Help Eliminate Auto Thefts