LAPD Arrest Suspect for Theft of Honda Civic — Switched License Plates and Repainted Car
- June 25, 2012
- recovery stories
On May 22, 2012, the owner of a Honda Civic reported the vehicle stolen to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southeast Division. After verifying the theft, LAPD officers entered the Honda’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Civic.
A short time later, officers with LAPD’s Olympic Division began to pick up the Honda’s silent LoJack signal on the LoJack Police Tracking Computers installed in their patrol vehicles. Following the directional and audible signals of the LoJack Trackers, the officers tracked the signal to the 300 block of Oxford Street. There, they observed the vehicle, with the engine running and one male suspect seated in the driver’s seat talking to a female standing next to the vehicle. The suspect had switched the license plates on the stolen vehicle and it had been re-painted grey. The officer quickly approached the vehicle and took the suspect into custody. Investigation revealed that the suspect had utilized a screwdriver and pliers to start the vehicle. The officer also learned that the suspect lived on the same street where the vehicle was stolen from. The suspect was arrested for Driving without Owners Consent. Olympic Detectives are conducting the follow-up investigation.