Background

The North Central Regional Chapter (NCRC) of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) was formed in 1972 when, then Illinois State Police Captain Clyde Oliver, who was also IAATI’s secretary petitioned for recognition as a regional chapter. Beginning in 1962, when the Illinois State Police formed the Illinois Police Identification Section Captain Oliver was placed in charge. Oliver realized that there was a need for specialized training in auto theft identification and each year he gathered local, county, and state police agencies along with the FBI and Bob Sattler from NATB (now NICB) for training that the Illinois State Police conducted at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Each year more and more officers attended, what is still referred to as the “Midwest Motor Vehicle Theft Conference” until it became too large for one agency to run. In 1972, during a training session, Captain Oliver talked to the group about forming the North Central Regional Chapter of IAATI and with the groups approval successfully petitioned IAATI for recognition.

Members come from local state and federal law enforcement as well as insurance companies and related fields with the common goal to suppress vehicle theft and related crimes. The NCRC officers , executive board and various committee members are all elected from the general membership and are professionals from all aspects of the auto theft investigative field.

The concept of a regional auto theft investigators association, united with common purpose and sharing the collective knowledge with those agencies unable to maintain a fully supported auto theft investigation unit, first envisioned by Captain Oliver is still the main focus of NCRC. NCRC’s annual training conferences feature top quality instructors and is usually held in May in a different location each year within the NCRC boundaries.