HOUSTON – Take a look at some of the biggest stories KPRC 2 Investigates shared in 2021, from an update to that African art in a warehouse to COVID-19 testing.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Car dealer selling cars customers can’t drive
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We know car buying can be a headache, but it’s been a nightmare for some customers dealing with one company. KPRC 2 Investigates is looking into a used car dealer selling cars customers can’t drive. The problem - they can’t get the vehicles registered because the dealer can’t provide the title or the permanent license plate.
“The massive private African art collection inside of a county maintenance shed in Precinct One sits still, two weeks after movers were allowed to start showing up.”
Email shows Ellis concerned over African art’s ownership months before KPRC 2 Investigates report
Harris County commissioner admits massive private art collection ownership is unclear.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Why are free COVID tests costing people thousands of dollars?
Crazy high COVID test bills months after our investigation highlighting the issue
INVESTIGATES: Shocking bills after COVID-19 tests
Hundreds of millions of tests later, KPRC 2 Investigates discovered doctors charging patients and insurance companies for tests that are supposed to be free.
KPRC 2 Investigates: What role do prosecutors have in Harris County’s felony bond debate?
Harris County judges are often criticized for setting any kind of bond or setting a bond the public considers too low in cases involving violent felonies. However, KPRC 2 Investigates wanted to know what is the prosecutor’s role in this process, more specifically, what impact can the prosecutor have on the setting of bonds in felony cases?
Bond Crisis: A Solution for Houston?
KPRC 2 Investigates has reported on judges who repeatedly grant bond to violent repeat offenders, the increased number of personal bonds issued, and also highlighted the role prosecutors play in setting bond.
The biggest question from the community centers on how people are getting out on bond only to repeat violent offenses?
KPRC 2 Investigates: Hertz customers report being accused of driving stolen rental cars
One of the largest car rental companies in the world now faces a lawsuit after dozens of customers claim they were detained by police or even jailed after accusations of driving a stolen car.
PROGRESS REPORT: Spencer Solves It team gets help cleaning up an Acres Homes neighborhood
The Spencer Solves It team helped clean up an Acres Home neighborhood.
Homeowner asks KPRC 2 Investigates for help in HOA fence stain debate
In a perfect world, homeowners associations work to protect the rights of property owners and keep subdivisions safe and clean. But what happens when an HOA applies rules differently for different homeowners? Our KPRC 2 Investigates team is getting answers.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Woman shocked by monster $8,500 water bill
KPRC 2 Investigates a huge water bill that has one homeowner calling the city out for failing to do its job. Our team is looking into why a bill could be so high and what you should do if you get a surprise big bill.
A program meant to help people pay rent and other bills, still has a lot of people waiting and it’s not just tenants who are frustrated with what’s going on.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Influx of temporary paper tags tied to crime, frustrating police
KPRC 2 investigator Amy Davis has learned the people fraudulently selling the plates are taking advantage of lax oversight by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Avoid becoming a victim of ‘jugging’: Here are 3 things you can do to protect yourself
The crime is called “jugging” and it refers to a type of robbery where the bad guys work in teams of two to rip you off. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
KPRC 2 Investigates IRS backlog frustration and how you can get help
KPRC 2 investigates the IRS backlog and how it’s impacting people in our area.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Allegations of fraud, intimidation and violence at busy car repair shop
A months-long KPRC 2 Investigation looking into theft, threats, violence and allegations of insurance fraud, culminated in the arrest of the owner of the business. But more work needs to be done.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Trash workers caught on camera not recycling
KPRC 2 Investigates obtained video footage of the trash workers in action and we tracked down the company owner to get answers.
KPRC 2 Investigates Reporter Robert Arnold reflects on 20th anniversary of 9/11
Robert Arnold, KPRC 2 Investigates Reporter, recalls his time in New York City covering 9/11 and shares a look at the story he’s working on for tonight’s 10 p.m. newscast.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Here is how to get the city to pay for pothole damage
KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis explains what to do to get the city of Houston to pay for your repairs if you hit a pothole and cause damage to your vehicle.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Gas stations sticking drivers with bad gasoline and big repair bills
If you fill up your car with contaminated gas it can cause major, costly problems. If you can prove the issues are a result of the bad fuel, the gas station owner who sold it to you should pay for your repairs. The KPRC 2 Investigative team is on the case of a Houston businessman who’s sticking it to his customers by dodging the bills and their calls for help.
KPRC 2 Investigates why so many answers remain hidden after the deadly Texas winter storm
After a winter storm crippled Texas, people are still struggling to repair their homes and, at the time this story was published, some residents were still without water. In the days immediately after the winter storm, KPRC 2 Investigates sent out record requests to ERCOT, the PUC (Public Utility Commission), and state and local agencies. KPRC 2 Investigates filed requests under the Texas Public Information Act.
KPRC 2 Investigates: How much are you paying for electricity deregulation?
Cheap and reliable electricity was the biggest selling point for the deregulation of the Texas electricity market. Now, 20 years after deregulation and weeks after the historic failure of the power grid, KPRC 2 Investigates reveals Texans have overpaid more than $28 billion for electricity.
KPRC 2 Investigates looked at four different categories of crime reported over a period of five years -- from 2016, before Art Acevedo became Houston’s chief of police, through 2020, his last full year. Then, those numbers were compared to those numbers with the city’s trend in crime since 1985.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Phone number swap scam warning
Thieves are targeting something just about all of us have in our pocket or purse - our cell phone. It’s called SIM swap fraud. KPRC 2 Investigates explains how criminals can steal your phone, your personal information, and your money, without ever touching your device. KPRC 2 explains what you can do to help make your phone more secure.
What were your favorite Investigates reports of 2021? Let us know in the comments.