In an effort to clamp down on the spikes in vehicular hijackings and auto thefts, Attorney General Kwame Raoul has recently spearheaded a symposium centering on enhanced collaboration between public law enforcement and private industry leaders. In partnership with the Attorney General Alliance's Organized Retail Crime Working Group, Raoul oversaw the gathering of a formidable ensemble of officials and experts in Chicago, as reported by the Illinois Attorney General's office .

The assembly featured representatives from the FBI and, Chicago Police Department, as well as industry specialists from OnStar and General Motors. Per the Illinois Attorney General's office, these discussions not only examined the consequential impact these crimes have on public safety but also delved into developing strategies harnessing technology to make inroads against such offenses. "This symposium was informed by my conversations with Chief of Police for the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department Leo Schmitz and Lemont Police Department Chief of Police Marc Maton," Raoul stated , recognizing the crucial insights provided by local law enforcement leaders.

A focal point of the symposium was the leveraging of GPS technology in theft prevention and crime fighting. Information shared at the event highlighted how vehicles with OnStar's Stolen Vehicle Assistance can be swiftly located and recovered, sometimes within hours of theft. Presenters from OnStar, the National Automobile Dealers Association, and General Motors illustrated the potential of integrating such tech to bolster law enforcement's ability to safely retrieve stolen vehicles and curtail pursuits that might endanger bystanders.

Further enriching the discussion were contributions from several other law enforcement offices, including the Bolingbrook, Carol Stream, and Naperville police departments, among others. The synergy between these various entities, from local departments to state attorneys like DuPage County's Bob Berlin and officials from attorney general offices across states, aims to forge a unified front against the rising tide of vehicular crimes. Symposium participants also explored the capability to remotely slow down stolen vehicles, a recent measure that could help police manage theft incidents without the high-speed chases that put the public at risk.

In his comments, Raoul stressed the importance of such cross-jurisdictional cooperative efforts, heralding the potential for advanced technologies to make significant headway in the fight against auto theft. While the promise of these approaches looks promising, outcomes from the application of the symposium's discourses remain to be seen in practical law enforcement and theft reduction results.