LAPD Air & Ground Units Using LoJack Recover Stolen Nissan Maxima, Two Arrested
- August 30, 2012
- recovery stories
On July 31, 2012, the owner of a Nissan Maxima contacted Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollenbeck Division to report his vehicle stolen. LAPD verified the theft and entered the Nissan’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the vehicle.
LAPD’s Air-3 flight officers were on patrol when they picked up the silent LoJack signal of the stolen Nissan Maxima. They tracked and located the Nissan parked to the rear of a residence in the 2700 block of Pomeroy Avenue. Air-3 also observed a suspect washing the vehicle, which is commonly done by thieves to eradicate finger prints
Flight officers radioed to a specialized ground unit vehicle to set up surveillance on the area. Shortly after their arrival, the ground officers observed a second suspect in the front yard looking up and down the street, as if acting as a look out. Backup units arrived to assist the officers and observed the stolen vehicle exit the property, followed by a second vehicle. Utilizing air support, the officers followed the stolen vehicle for a while, as the second vehicle interfered.
When the officers arrived in the area of Blanchard Street and Fresno, the suspect pulled to the curb and exited the vehicle. Officers converged upon the suspect, taking him into custody without further incident. Follow-up investigation at the original location resulted in the arrest of the second male suspect. The officers contacted the suspect’s mother and obtained consent to search for the victim’s property, ultimately connecting evidence recovered to the theft. Both suspects were booked for driving a motor vehicle without owner’s consent.
The recovered vehicle was later released to the victim undamaged.