Lexus Stolen During Test Drive in California Recovered with LoJack — Suspects Arrested
- January 15, 2012
- recovery stories
On Monday afternoon, January 2, 2012, two suspects entered an used car dealership and requested to test drive a 2004 Lexus LS430 that was advertised for sale. The dealer allowed the suspects to “try it out around the block.” When the suspects failed to return with the vehicle, the dealer contacted the Santa Monica Police Department to report the vehicle stolen.
Santa Monica Police responded to the scene, prepared a stolen vehicle report and had the stolen Lexus’s information entered into the state and federal crime computers. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Lexus and initiated the tracking of the vehicle.
The next morning and 500 miles away, officers from several police departments began to receive the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Lexus on the Police Tracking Computers installed in their patrol vehicles. Officers from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, and California Highway Patrol ground and air units all began to track the stolen Lexus. Officers the observed the vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 50 near Sunrise, CA. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspects fled, thus initiating a police pursuit. The suspects eventually exited the highway in the City of Folsom. Officers continued following the suspects into a residential neighborhood, where they jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers then captured and arrested both suspects.
The driver was arrested less than a month ago for auto theft and was out on bail. The passenger was also arrested and faces additional charges for kicking out the rear window of the police cruiser. From the time of theft until recovery, the suspects never removed the advertising on the front windshield which read “Happy Holiday! As advertised $22,400”.