LoJack Early Warning Alert Notified Owner of Theft of Ford F350 Pickup — Leads to Quick Recovery, 4 Suspects Detained
- January 24, 2012
- recovery stories
Vehicle: 2005 Ford F350 Crew Cab pickup
Activation: Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, January 5, 2012, 6:50 p.m.
Recovery: January 5, 7:30 p.m.
Dealership: Korum Ford in Puyallup, Washington
On the evening of January 5, 2012, the owner of a 2005 Ford F350 crew cab pickup truck received a LoJack Early Warning Alert that his vehicle was moving, and possibly stolen. At the time, the victim was at work at a business located at 112th and Canyon, near Puyallup, Washington. Understanding that her Early Warning alarm would sound only if the vehicle moved without the presence LoJack Key Pass (in her possession at the time), the victim immediately contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department to report the vehicle stolen.
Pierce County deputies responded to the scene, prepared a stolen vehicle report and had the stolen Ford’s information entered into the state and federal crime computers. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Ford and initiated the tracking of the truck.
Four minutes after entry and activation of the LoJack, several law enforcement agencies– Federal Way and Fife Police Departments, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Washington State Patrol and King County Sheriff’s Office — began to receive the silent LoJack signal transmitting from the stolen Ford pickup on the LoJack Police Tracking Computers installed in their patrol cars. Officers tracked the signal to a residence in the 36400 block of 6th Avenue SW in Federal Way. There, Federal Way Police detained four occupants of the house for questioning, each of whom had a different story regarding how the stolen 2005 Ford arrived at the house. At the residence, police located another Ford pickup — a 2004 Ford F250 — and identified as stolen from Fife on December 24, 2011.
The trucks were sealed for evidence processing and towed away. Criminal charges are pending.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Ford F350 when it was purchased new in August of 2005.