MONAHANS, Texas — "The rise in oil theft in West Texas is growing, it's increasing, and the criminals are more organized," said U.S. Congressman, Tony Gonzales during a press conference in Monahans, Texas.
On Friday, May 10, the Republican U.S. Congressman hosted a roundtable discussion with officials from the Permian Basin, including local law enforcement leaders, the District Attorney for the 109th Judicial District and officials from the FBI.
The conversation focused on how to improve the operations of the federal Oilfield Theft Task Force. Congressman Gonzales shared that the collaboration between local, state and federal agencies is crucial for effective oil theft prevention and prosecution.
During the press conference, Gonzales said one of the first steps in strengthening the Oilfield Theft Task Force is ensuring all entities involved are trained on how to separate legal from illegal activities in the oil trade.
Sheriff Darin Mitchell of Winkler County shared that the training will start as early as next month.
"This meeting that we had today is sort of the first step as far as teaching us how to implement proper documentation," said Sheriff Mitchell. "That way we can see that information on the local level but also up beyond the state and see where the hotspots are."
Congressman Gonzales emphasized the importance of sharing intel to combat the growing threat from oil thefts.
"This is a national issue. Energy is a critical infrastructure, and we have to protect this resource," said Congressman Gonzales. "The men and women that are here today are ready, willing, and able to tackle this topic and I think you're going to see that in the coming weeks, there's going to be more apprehensions due to this."