I am truly blessed and honored to have been elected to the 
position of president for the Southeast Chapter of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (SEIAATI), for the 2025 – 2026 year. My journey with SEIAATI started when I received an award at the 2021 conference in Colorado from the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators for an investigation I led involving an organized auto theft ring that resulted in multiple arrests. From that point on, feeling appreciative of the recognition, I became a more active member in the SEIAATI organization. I have been with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office since 2001, and for more than 18 of those years, I have specialized in auto theft investigations. Throughout my career, I have coordinated monthly auto theft intel meetings with law enforcement agencies across multiple counties in South Florida, have worked to reestablish the Auto Theft Task Force, taught several auto theft symposiums and advanced auto crime courses, and consulted with numerous private auto-related corporations to create a network of resources for the law enforcement community. I am also the current president of the Florida Auto Theft Intelligence Unit (FATIU), a Florida organization that directly supports SEIAATI.
A tremendous amount of planning and coordination went into the 2025 SEIAATI conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and I am immensely thankful to my fellow board members, state delegates, and directors for everything they did to make it a success. For those of you who were able to attend, I hope you not only had a great time with your peers but were able to make valuable connections in the auto theft community. In my many years as a member of SEIAATI, I have always found the annual conference to be among the most significant ways to expand my network of subject matter experts, and I have used so many of those connections in my own cases, while also making myself available to support my colleagues across the country in their cases. Constantly expanding our knowledge and sharing trends and information with each other allows us to stay one step ahead in the ever-evolving world of auto theft.
When I first joined SEIAATI, I was instantly taken by the number of people I met who shared my passion for auto theft investigations and who were willing to share their knowledge and perspectives with me. Many of you reading this now have worked on cases with me, solely because we made a connection through SEIAATI. As your new president, my mission will be to expand this organization even further than it has grown in the past few years. I know how valuable being a member of this organization is for all auto theft investigators, and I need all of you to reach out to your peers and show them what an asset it can be to be a member of SEIAATI. I also intend to put an emphasis on obtaining partnerships and sponsorships from more private corporations and state and municipal organizations, as they are integral to the prevention and investigation of auto theft. Beyond that, my goal is to ensure that all of you become more involved, so that you can be the ones writing this welcome letter in the coming years.
The impact of auto theft goes well beyond simply stealing cars; it is often a catalyst for or companion to other crimes, often violent and drug-related crimes; it leads to the decrease of property values and increase of taxes in our communities, bringing down the standard of living; it directly impacts the cost and of vehicles and makes the entire purchasing process more difficult, negatively impacting customer service across the board. We are sheepdogs, tasked with protecting our communities and standing between the criminals who wreak havoc on the lives of our neighbors. SEIAATI is committed to providing you with the resources necessary to be the best investigators possible, and the strongest advocates for the public. Being a member of this incredible organization gives you access to top-notch training, provided by some of the best subject-matter experts across the globe. I encourage you to take advantage of those training courses, as SEIAATI is committed to supporting all members who are willing to invest in and prioritize their own professional development. But perhaps the most impactful benefit of membership in SEIAATI is the access you have to hundreds of like-minded men and women, committed to the same cause, coming from a variety of communities, offering you a wealth of information, perspective, advice, knowledge, assistance, and expertise. It is with these connections that we lead the fight against auto crime and that we stay one step ahead of the criminals, who, in my opinion, are among the most innovative and creative criminals there are.
Planning is already underway for our 2026 SEIAATI Vehicle Crimes Conference, which I am proud to announce will be in my own backyard, Miami, Florida, on June 7-11,2026. Specifically, the conference will be at the Trump National Doral Golf Resort, whose claim to fame is the beautiful Blue Monster, which has taken down a number of the world’s top golf professionals. This sprawling and picturesque golf resort serves as a beautiful backdrop to our conference, and I am so excited about what we have in store for you. We will be hosting a Golf Tournament to kick off the conference on June 6, 2026, on one of the resort’s challenging courses. The conference will host some incredible trainers and teachers, sharing their knowledge and skills, and will showcase some amazing vendors who are eager to partner with you and your departments to stay on the frontlines of auto theft prevention and detection. There will be multiple events planned throughout the conference, and it is my goal to make sure you are fully immersed in the vibrant South Florida culture whenever possible. I implore you all to mark your calendars, recruit and invite your colleagues, bring your families, and prepare for a week of networking, learning, and fun to kick off a sunny South Florida summer.
I am beyond humbled by the opportunity to carry the torch for those who have gone before me in this position, and I look forward to serving and advocating for you every step along the way. Please stay involved throughout the year and lean on your fellow members for support whenever possible. I will work diligently to expand SEIAATI to ensure our continued success for years to come. As auto theft investigators, we are a small, tight-knit family, and I look forward to fostering relationships that will continue to make us all successful.
God bless,
Josue “Josh” Vales
President
Southeast Chapter
International Association of Auto Theft Investigators