COOK COUNTY, IL – Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today new efforts his office is taking to stop the rise in carjackings in the County by focusing on improving access to tracking information.
Carjackings have increased approximately 43 percent in the County so far this year compared to the same period in 2020.
“We’ve been looking at how to curb this disturbing trend from all sides,” Sheriff Dart said. “One that would help is getting quicker access to a stolen vehicle’s location after it’s taken. This will help recover vehicles sooner, quite possibly with the offenders still at the wheel, making it easier to get criminal charges. This will also help prevent the cars from being used in other crimes.”
Sheriff Dart sent letters to the major automakers in the country on Friday asking for them to collaborate on how to address this crime. Most vehicles sold after 2015 have the capability to be tracked and nearly two-thirds of the vehicles taken in carjackings in Cook County are 2015 models or newer.
The ability to contact a manufacture and the requirements to access the tracking information vary depending on the car company. Many times, the process relies on victims – some of whom may be injured – to navigate a corporate bureaucracy when time is of the essence. One of Sheriff Dart’s suggestions is for automakers is to create a free 24/7 hotline that customers and law enforcement can contact to request the vehicle’s location when it’s stolen.
“Automakers can be part of a long-term solution to the rise in this incredibly serious crime,” Sheriff Dart said. “We believe they will want to be part of that solution, and we look forward to meaningful conversations and actions.”
Sheriff Dart is also working to empower car owners. The Office created a consent form that car owners can submit to the Sheriff’s Office to grant permission to release the vehicle’s tracking information to law enforcement in the event their vehicle is taken. With this permission in hand, police can more quickly work with auto companies to get the vehicle’s location information. The form, along with safety tips, are available on the Sheriff’s website.
A new public awareness sticker has also been created by the Office for owners to put on their vehicles announcing that it is trackable. The stickers will be available at courthouses and Sheriff’s police stations. The Office is also in discussions with car dealerships for wider distribution.
Dr. Stephanie Davis spoke at Thursday’s press conference announcing the new efforts. Dr. Davis was assaulted at gunpoint during a September carjacking in broad daylight in the south suburbs. Even though her SUV had tracking capabilities, it took weeks of precious time and numerous phone calls to figure out whether that information could be obtained and how to get it. Meanwhile, her SUV was used in two other crimes in the Chicago area. The SUV was swiftly recovered when the location information was finally provided.
“Improving quick access to tracking information will be beneficial for countless victims who are just trying to get their lives back after a horrific trauma like carjacking,” Davis said. “Speaking as a carjacking survivor, I hope the automakers will take a close look at this issue. They can be part of a real solution.”
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