LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 8,035 cars have been stolen in Clark County in 2022, not including Henderson and North Las Vegas, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police reporting data.
The number represents an 18.6% rise over 2021 year-to-date.
The joint Vehicle Investigation Project for Enforcement Recovery (VIPER) Team operating in Las Vegas has been dedicated to getting those vehicles back to their owners as theft rates rose, driven partially by rings of organized criminals.
Lt. Joe Lepore heads the VIPER Team.
"These rings generally concentrate on stealing a high amount of vehicles and then reselling them," Lepore said.
Lepore said the VIPER team has been crucial in breaking down jurisdictional barriers and improving communications between different departments like North Las Vegas Police, Henderson Police, the Nevada Division of Investigation, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and more.
"It's important because it's a valley-wide problem," he said. "It's actually a nationwide problem, but, definitely when we want to concentrate on the valley, Metro has its own jurisdiction, but also Henderson has its own, as does north town."
Lepore said to date in 2022, the VIPER team has recovered more than $2,500,000 worth of stolen cars including a $400,000 bust which recovered 15 of 16 stolen cars from one Las Vegas lot on Sept. 12.
Lepore said the ensuing investigation resulted in the arrest of eight people who'd been involved in the same criminal ring.
"We actually do a very good job of getting the vehicles back in a timely manner," he said.
Police said targeting criminal rings could be more important than targeting individuals who've stolen cars as rings often focus on "washing the car's identity by swapping out VIN numbers or creating fake registrations and then selling the vehicles.
"If you end up buying that vehicle and that vehicle was stolen, you're out the money," Lepore said. "That's it."
Lepore said the best move before buying any car is insisting the seller take the vehicle to the DMV for an official VIN check.
"In this town, with my crew, you will get caught," he said. "That's a guarantee. You will get caught."
Lepore said the best way to prevent your car from falling onto the VIPER Team's radar is to avoid having a car stolen in the first place.
He said it's best not to leave keys in the car, especially if the car is a push button start, park in lit areas, park in a garage if possible, and always lock a car before leaving it.
