The Corpus Christi Police Auto Theft Task Force has hosted the 2012 Theft Prevention Authority Annual Summit at the Omni Marina Tower located at 707 North Shoreline Boulevard.

The Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA) is a part of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that provides oversight and financial support to the problem of auto theft in Texas. The purpose of the annual conference is to share training and update participating law enforcement agencies with industry trends and programs.

The Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority is a network of law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, insurance industry representatives, local tax assessor collectors, and concerned citizen groups. The organization was established in 1991 in the 72^nd Texas Legislature to reduce auto theft. The A.B.T.P.A. organization was amended by the 80^th Legislature with House Bill 1887 to include burglary.

The A.B.T.P.A. has a summit each year to protect Texans from becoming victims of auto burglary and theft. The summit this year is held in Corpus Christi from June 25 until June 28. The conference hosts a variety of experts that provide information on topics such as Vehicle Identification Number structure, managing undercover operations, salvage yard inspections, cloned vehicles, dealer laws and others.

Those at the conference participate in nightly activities to promote networking. Wednesday night the event was a Harley Davidson Ride. Those without a Harley Davidson motorcycle were provided the opportunity to rent a bike to cruise Ocean Drive and enjoy the Corpus Christi area.

The Corpus Christi Police Auto Theft Task Force is funded by grants provided by the A.B.T.P.A. The Auto Theft Bureau is located on the third floor of the Main Police Station located at 321 John Sartain, Corpus Christi Texas. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional information about this program can be found on the city website at www.cctexas.com.