Illinois Secretary of State announcing millions in grants to prevent car-related crimes
CHICAGO (CBS) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced a massive $21 million investment in an attempt to pump the brakes on car jackings and vehicle thefts.
Giannoulias said that money will go to six police organizations that already target vehicle crimes. So what are they doing with all the money? CBS 2's Sara Machi broke down the numbers.
This money will be handed out to the six agencies over the next several weeks with the Illinois State Police getting the largest share, about $10.2 million.
They outlined some of their plans to buy equipment to track down offenders. But in a city with so many victims, one told CBS 2 the current crime statistics are enough to drive her out of Illinois.
"It's just really devastating and hurtful because it's something you work so hard to get, and somebody else is enjoying the fruits of your labor," said Erkyah Grady-Cohen, a car theft victim. "It'll make you angry for sure."
Grady-Cohen said she came out of her home near Addison and Milwaukee on Feb. 18 to find the car she bought less than a year ago was gone. She knows someone else is driving her car because she gets the tollway alerts telling her.
"They'll come to this neighborhood and they'll go back to Schiller Park and Rosemont and then they'll come back to this neighborhood and I guess they are just, I think they're just scouting for more cars to steal in this neighborhood," Grady-Cohen said.
Giannoulis talked about his own experience as a carjacking victim when he was a teen.
"Now it's happening everywhere, anywhere, anytime of day, every time a day, across the city," he said.
The money is headed to agencies across the state, with the Chicago Police Department receiving $1.4 million. The Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force is receiving $3.3 million. But the biggest portion, $10.2 million, is going to the Illinois State Police.
It's money they'll use to buy 100 mobile license plate readers, three license plate reader trailers for areas without the technology, and two new planes to replace the aging Cesnas in their high-speed air operations.
"Frankly we want people who are thinking about making bad choices and being involved in crime, we want them to know the tools that are out there," said ISP Director Brendan Kelly. "We don't want to be secret about this."
Grady-Cohen said she's still optimistic that police will find her car, but she is losing hope. After all, cameras have spotted her stolen car and all she has now are the toll records to car she can't get back.
"I get it could be difficult and it's so many people getting their cars stolen but man!" she said.
Grady-Cohen said this was a final straw for her. She's put in notice at her job and plans to move to Nevada next week.
Leaders on Thursday said they'd like to see more support from car manufacturers to fix security flaws and from social media networks that spread information about how to exploit them.
Grady-Cohen said she agrees with them.