SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State candidate Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has pledged to take specific actions as Secretary of State to stop the rash of gasoline thefts that are currently plaguing Illinois car dealerships.
“With gasoline at $4.50 a gallon and unattended cars sitting in dealership lots, the temptation to make a quick, illegal profit has proven to be too hard to resist for many criminals,” Brady said. “I plan to use the resources of the Secretary of State’s office to help keep fuel in the cars and put thieves behind bars.”
Once elected, Brady will convene a special task force consisting of Secretary of State Police, local law enforcement officials and car dealer trade association representatives to come up with ways to help prevent these brazen parking lot thefts, which often result in expensive damage to the targeted vehicles. Since Secretary of State Police officers are frequently at car dealerships as part of their routine duties, Brady will also direct those officers to work with individual dealers to heighten security and to recommend additional anti-theft measures they may take.
“I realize this problem is occurring now and can’t wait until after the election for a solution,” Brady said. “So I encourage current Secretary of State Jesse White to take these ideas and run with them. Gasoline thieves don’t care about your political party affiliation.”
The Illinois Secretary of State Police Division helps to regulate the automotive industry in Illinois by tracking auto thieves, conducting surveillance on suspected “chop shops,” infiltrating auto theft rings, investigating fraudulent state identification documents and conducting “sting” operations.
About Dan Brady
Dan Brady is a candidate for Illinois Secretary of State. He is a resident of Bloomington, Illinois where he is a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and is an associate in the funeral home firm Kibler-Brady-Ruestman. Brady served as McLean County Coroner from 1992 to 2000. He received an A.A. from Southern Illinois University and a B.A. in Elected Studies from St. Ambrose University. Brady was named to the Illinois House Republican Leadership team in 2003 and in 2017 he was named Deputy Minority Leader. He has been recognized for his local leadership by a variety of organizations and is a repeated recipient of awards including the ACTIVATOR “Friend of Agriculture Award, the National Federation of Independent Business “Guardian of Small Business” Award and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce “Champion of Free Enterprise” Award. Dan and his wife Teri have two children.