NICB Applauds New Mexico House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee for Passing Chop Shop Bill

Howard Handler, government affairs director for the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), issued the following statement in response to the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee’s passage of House Bill 156. “While New Mexico has made significant progress in combating the auto theft rate in the past couple of years, there is still more work to put the state’s auto theft rates on par with the rest of the country. This bill will provide law enforcement one more tool to combat vehicle thefts by providing officers with the right criminal statutes to deter and prosecute these thieves and help dry up demand for stolen vehicles. “These chop shops rely on a steady supply of stolen vehicles so the parts can be sold or used to repair or conceal other stolen vehicles. “NICB will continue to work with lawmakers in the House and Senate to ensure reforms are put in place to protect consumers and continue to lower the state’s high auto theft rate.”