Potter County and the city of Amarillo have filed a joint grant application with the state s Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority to secure funding to continue the Panhandle Auto Burglary and Theft Unit.
Officials previously noted the Panhandle Auto Burglary and Theft Unit consists of investigators from the Potter County and Randall County sheriff’s offices, the Amarillo Police Department and the Department of Public Safety. Per the interlocal agreement, the targeted funding allotment of $347,960 is to be used from Sept. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021.
Tammy Chervenka, Panhandle Auto Burglary and Theft Unit s crime prevention coordinator, indicated via an email response to a Globe-News inquiry there have been 950 motor vehicles stolen to date, noting that after including trailers, ATVs and motorcycles the, total increases to 1,183.