Slick Thieves Swap License Plates to Avoid License Plate Readers, But Aren't Slick Enough To Defeat LoJack
- October 17, 2011
- recovery stories
Close, but no cigar! The owner of a 2011 Honda CRV parked and locked his vehicle on the street where he lives in the Fresh Meadows section of Queens, confines of the 107 precinct. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize that his daughter left the extra set of keys in the console cup holder. When he came down for the vehicle the next day, he found it missing, as someone saw the keys and absconded with the vehicle. He immediately called the police of the 107 precinct.
Within a short while the Police of the 104 precinct, picked up the signal in the Maspeth section of Queens and started tracking it. They found the vehicle parked on a residential street.
They staked the vehicle out for a short while, however when no one came for it they took the vehicle into custody. Inspection of the vehicle revealed that the passenger side window had been broken; also the stickers on the vehicle had been removed.
Further inspection revealed that the license plates on the vehicle had been changed, obviously to defeat the police’s License Plate Readers. The vehicle was dusted for prints/DNA, with the investigation continuing.
The owner was present at the scene and he was elated that his vehicle was recovered so quickly, especially since he had just cancelled his Fire and Theft Insurance the week before. Other than the broken window there was no other damage, which made him even happier.