HPD officers at center of investigation into seized, abandoned cars

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have learned that several Houston police officers have been transferred as part of an investigation into cars that have been seized or abandoned.

This investigation is centered on the Auto Dealers division, and a source close to the investigation tells us it has already resulted in the transfer of more than half a dozen people out of that division including a lieutenant and a sergeant.

Go online and you see the many vehicles the Houston Police Department has available for auction, seized during criminal activity or abandoned, all of them staying at storage lots around our area until it was time to auction them off to the public. The Houston Police officers union also confirms that an investigation is ongoing into allegations the officers were essentially earmarking some of those vehicles for their own purchase.

However, it is our source close to the investigation that described how officers allegedly took advantage of the auction process, telling us:

"Whenever the officer wanted a vehicle it got titled in the name of the storage company. When the officer decided they wanted to buy the vehicle they would go back and re-issue the auction sales receipt in their name."

Our source claims at least one officer purchased more than a dozen vehicles which the source feels raises questions about what one officer would do with so many vehicles and who was paying the taxes on the vehicles.

We reached out to HPD, and they did not

confirm or deny an ongoing investigation.