OFFICERS FIGHT THEFT OF METH INGREDIENT

DUNCAN - Carey Rouse has spent his fair share of time sitting on top
of ammonia tanks. Task force

The District 6 multijurisdictional task force, which covers Stephens,
Caddo, Jefferson and Grady counties, is a drug and violent crime task
force of investigators from the district attorney's office and
officers assigned by law enforcement agencies in the area. It is one
of about 27 task forces statewide funded by the Edward Byrne Memorial
Grant. About 2-1/2 years ago, the task force started putting hidden
cameras on ammonia tanks across the district to catch thieves who
wanted to use the ammonia in methamphetamine manufacturing. The
surveillance system has led to 26 arrests.

To report suspicious activity near an ammonia tank in District 6, call
(580) 255-8726. People in all other areas should contact their local
task forces or law enforcement agencies.

When farmers in Stephens County called to complain about anhydrous
ammonia being stolen from them, Rouse, director of the District 6
multijurisdictional task force, or one of his officers would perch on
their tanks all night, waiting for the thieves to return.

"It was basically a shot in the dark trying to determine which tank
was going to get hit, because we have over 225 tanks in our district,"
he said. "So we would try to pick a tank that we thought would be hit,
and we would go out, and sit on it and just wait for people to show
up."

After a couple months of officers working cases during the day and
sitting on tanks during the night, the department had to try something
else, Rouse said. He found the solution at First Witness Video
Surveillance Systems, an electronics company in Virginia.

Rouse said he discovered he could use a government grant to buy a
miniature video camera system that was small enough to hide on the
tanks and record thieves in action. Task force members could review
the tapes, identify the people on them and arrest them.

Stephens County Undersheriff Bob Hill said catching ammonia thieves is
important in the drug manufactur-ing battle. Ammonia is the one
ingredient in the methamphetamine manufacturing process that anyone on
the streets can't just go in and buy legally, he said.

"What this does is address the people that are manufacturing it," he
said. "When we arrest the people manufacturing it, well, that takes
that much more off the streets."

Less than a gallon of ammonia is needed to produce an ounce of meth,
which has a street value of up to $1,400, Rouse said. A farmer
probably pays an average of $10 to $20 for five gallons of ammonia, he
said. The thefts, he said, are a significant loss to farmers.

Mike Jones, 47, of Comanche said the task force used cameras on his
tanks last winter and arrested one person. Jones has to go near the
tanks, which are far from the road, to check cattle. He said he caught
four thieves.

When he saw that the thieves, who came from as far away as Texas, were
carrying weapons, he started carrying one, too, he said.

"The cameras helped get pictures of the guys that were doing it, but
they acted like they didn't care if the cameras were there or not," he
said.

Rouse said the task force bought the first camera 2 1 / 2 years ago.
Now, one of each camera is in Stephens, Caddo, Jefferson and Grady
counties, he said. The camera systems cost a minimum of $7,000 each,
and the two cameras with night vision capabilities cost $11,000 each,
he said.

The cameras have led to 26 arrests; of those, 22 have been convicted,
and the four other cases are pending, he said.

"Since we started the program, every person that we have been able to
positively identify we have apprehended," he said. "Out of those,
every single one of them has been convicted, and not one time has one
of my investigators had to walk in a courtroom for any courtroom time."

A camera can be left unattended up to 40 days and still function. When
thieves trigger an alarm programmed into the camera, it starts
recording and continues while the activity is ongoing or for a set
period of time, Rouse said.

The cameras with night vision make sure thieves still can be recorded
at night, he said.

Rouse said the task force is working on improving the program by
getting a wireless camera. The camera would be linked back to the
office and allow officers to see what is happening on a live feed.