Modesto Police Track Stolen Toyota Tundra to Chop Shop Location — Recover Multiple Vehicles & Parts
- May 3, 2012
- recovery stories
On the morning of April 10, 2012, the Newman Police Department received a report that a 2010 Toyota Tundra had been stolen.
After completing a stolen vehicle report, the Newman Police had the Toyota’s information entered into the state and federal computer systems. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Toyota. Neither the owners nor law enforcement agents had to do anything else to activate the LoJack Vehicle Recovery Transponder, because LoJack’s interface with the police is both seamless and instantaneous.
Several hours later, officers with the Modesto Police Department began to receive the Toyota’s silent LoJack signal on the LoJack Police Tracking Computer installed in their patrol vehicle. Following the directional and signal strength cues from their PTC, the officers tracked the LoJack signal to a residential area in Modesto. The officers determined that the signal was coming from the backyard and contacted members of the StanCatts Auto Theft Task Force to assist.
Investigators discovered that the Toyota was in the process of being stripped. They also recovered a stolen Cadillac Escalade that was reported stolen in Modesto a month earlier, and parts to various other vehicles that appeared to be stolen. The two stolen vehicles and other parts were impounded for safe keeping to be released later. The suspect was not at home, but was identified.
Investigators conducted a follow-up investigation, and arrested the suspect for auto theft, receiving stolen property and operating a Chop Shop.