This award honors any person or organization for exceptional performance in the general field of vehicle identification during criminal investigations. We are honored to present the 2022 Vehicle Identification Award to the Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail (RAID Unit) for “Operation VIN City”.  Honorees include:

Det Everth Bercian, Riverside Police Department

Inv. Bertram Blinn, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office

Dep. Timothy Provost, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office

Agent Gabe Marquez, NICB

Here are the details of their success story:

“Operation VIN City” began when the RAID NICB agent noticed an altered high mileage smog check report on a 2018 Range Rover registered in California that had no shipping record report in NICB’s database. This initial lead resulted in the recovery of 2 VIN switched Range Rovers that had been sold to an innocent buyer. Subsequent investigation lead to the seller identifying the supplier of the vehicles who was out on bail for transporting 44 lbs. of methamphetamine. Investigators gathered valuable information that led to identifying two additional suspects and to the execution of over 30 search warrants for phone records, GPS trackers, and phone pings.

In total, 40 surveillance operations were conducted, leading to the identification of additional suspects and more altered stolen vehicles, and the counterfeit titles being created to use with these stolen vehicles. Additionally, 10 search warrants were executed in LA County, Orange County, and Riverside County residential locations which resulted in computers, cell phones, VIN switched vehicles, titles, and much more evidence being recovered. Overall, 23 suspects were arrested and over 80 VIN switched stolen vehicles with a value of over $2,000,000 were seized. Numerous firearms and large amounts of narcotics were also recovered and many marijuana grow sites located.