Crude oil theft has been a significant issue in Eastern New Mexico. A task force is working to combat this problem. The group is made up of local, state, and federal agencies.

Investigations have led to guilty pleas in federal court. The amount of oil stolen is substantial, with tens of thousands of barrels taken. Further information on the task force's efforts and the impact of oil theft is available from the source.

The task force has already made several arrests and is working with oil and gas companies.