The Property Crimes Section is staffed by one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, and seven Detectives. This section is primarily responsible for investigating cases of robbery, burglary, auto theft, vandalism, and thefts.

The lieutenant position became a shared position with the Narcotics Section on October 18, 2010. Additional responsibilities include coordinating the local Gang Task Force, being the Department’s Terminal Agency Coordinator for the National Crime Information Center, and law enforcement liaison to Crime Stoppers of the Sioux Empire, covering Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.

Both sergeants have duties beyond supervising Property Crimes investigators. One sergeant is an agent of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, supervises the Fraud Section, and meets monthly with the local retail security group and the state intelligence network. The other sergeant supervises the pawn and secondhand store regulation. The Property Crimes section handles the largest case loads, investigating 5,843 cases in 2010.

Property Crimes cases generally have few witnesses or leads. These investigators have to use interview and investigative skills to solve crimes. Many times forensic analysis of fingerprints, DNA, or video is needed to make a case. Investigators have to be well-organized, diligent, and patient as it frequently takes months to get analysis results back from the labs. These investigators put in long hours serving search warrants for stolen property and working over 850 cases per investigator each year.