Honda Stolen for 3rd Time in Nevada — Recovery Leads Police to Chop Shop and Arrest of Suspect
- February 2, 2012
- recovery stories
The owner of a 1996 Honda Civic had no idea that his vehicle had been equipped with a LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System some fifteen years ago by the vehicle’s first owner, but was very pleased to learn this on January 18. 2012. The Honda was last seen parked at the owner’s home in the City of Henderson on January 17, 2012; sometime during the overnight hours, the vehicle was stolen. When the owner discovered the Honda missing the following morning, he immediately contacted the Henderson Police Department to report the theft.
Several hours later, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s “Air Support Detail” began picking up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Honda with their LoJack-equipped helicopter. Following the LoJack computer’s cues, the officers quickly tracked the Honda to the backyard of a residential home in the 3900 block of Comb, Las Vegas. There, they observed an adult male suspect stripping the car. With the help of responding backup patrol officers and detectives, the police quickly surrounded the house. The male suspect exited the yard and was taken into custody.
Using a Search Warrant, police canvassed the area and recovered not only the LoJack-equipped stolen Honda Civic, but also a stolen car engine, and license plates to two other recent stolen cars (a 1990 Honda Accord, and a 1998 Dodge Neon), one of which was found abandoned just down the street. Detectives also recovered a “shaved key” on the suspect used to bypass car ignitions. The suspect was arrested for multiple felonies, including Operating a Chop Shop. The investigation remains ongoing.
This is the third time this same Honda was stolen in Southern Nevada and recovered using the LoJack System. The previous thefts occured on October 31, 2007 and May 19, 2011.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Honda Civic on 3/22/1996 by Autoland #1 of Sherman Oaks, CA.