SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico's law enforcement leaders agree: stolen cars are fueling crime problems statewide. However, lawmakers have failed two years straight to pass tougher penalties. So, could a new approach shake up the status quo? KRQE News 13 asked lawmakers at the Roundhouse Tuesday. Story continues below Podcast: Why New Mexico’s Attorney General is suing Meta, Snapchat Weather: Historic snowfall in New Mexico helps ski resorts open up early Crime: APD: Man fired gun outside Albuquerque restaurant after being asked to leave Community: ‘Finding that one person is challenging’: Balloon pilot searches for liver donor "We're a crime nexus. I-25, I-40. Vehicles being utilized in other crimes. We have juveniles using stolen vehicles. Everything is coming into one part and one, imagine like a donut and the center is auto theft and it expands from there," said Sheriff John Allen of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. It's no secret: Albuquerque's been nationally ranked in the top ten for auto theft for years; and while the ranking dropped this year, lawmakers and cops are still looking for tougher laws against the crime. "'Cause once you can steal a vehicle and you can't be identified, you commit robberies, you can try to attempt to get away from vehicles, you can joy ride, and you can do whatever your heart wishes or desires for crime," Allen said. Albuquerque Democratic Representative Cynthia Borrego is trying for the third time to pass a bill that gets tougher on auto theft. "When we drafted this bill, it was similar to the retail theft bill; which means that penalties would be combined for a crime of auto theft," said Rep. Cynthia Borrego, (D-Albuquerque). It would get criminals who steal cars repeatedly, or in conjunction with other charges, a tougher sentence. "I think the important thing is that we let criminals know that we are looking at this particular category of theft," Borrego said. Borrego pointed to recent high-profile crimes, like the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare in March by a man who stole a car in South Carolina; and, the August murder of 83-year-old Gordon Wilson who was carjacked in a Santa Fe Best Buy parking lot. Borrego has tried to pass legislation like this twice before: once, in 2023. "It made it to the first committee and then it was killed basically in that first committee," Borrego says. Then, a similar bill was put forward for the Governor's special session on crime, but it didn't get picked up. Borrego said she's hoping Tuesday's early discussion can help the bill get the green light this time. "We're in November. We can make adjustments, we can make amendments; we want to hear from both sides. You have to have everybody at the table to make sure you're writing good policy," Allen says. Borrego said another big driving force behind the bill is New Mexico's rising auto insurance rates. According to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, New Mexico's auto theft rates are around 61% higher than the national average.