Nissan Altima Stolen by "Friends" While Victim Slept — LAPD Recover Car, Arrest 2
- April 30, 2012
- recovery stories
On the afternoon of March 13, 2012, the owner of a 2002 Nissan Altima contacted the Los Angeles Police Department’s Olympic Division to report the vehicle stolen.
The responding officer prepared a stolen vehicle report and had the Nissan’s information entered into the state and federal crime computer systems – a routine police action that automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed within the Nissan Altima. Neither the owner nor law enforcement agents had to take any further action to initiate tracking of the vehicle, as LoJack’s interface with the police is both seamless and instantaneous.
Within minutes, LAPD’s Air-18 aircraft picked up the Nissan’s silent LoJack signal on the aircraft’s LoJack Tracking Computer. Air-18 directed Hollywood Division ground units to the area. One ground unit was also equipped with a LoJack Tracking Computer and tracked the vehicle to Del Mar Avenue and Temple Hill Drive, where they observed the vehicle being driven by one male with two passengers inside. They conducted a high-risk traffic stop, taking all three occupants into custody. Their investigation revealed that the victim was at home when two of the suspects stopped by. The victim fell asleep, and when he awoke the two suspects and his vehicle were gone. The driver was named in the police report, as was one of the passengers. The driver was arrested for Grand Auto Theft, the named passenger for possession of a syringe, and the second passenger was questioned and released. LAPD Hollywood Division detectives are conducting the follow-up investigation.
This is the third time this vehicle has been stolen and recovered utilizing LoJack within the past two years.