Toyota Sienna Van Stolen in San Jose CarJacking Recovered by Santa Clara Police Using LoJack, 2 Arrested
- September 25, 2012
- recovery stories
In the early morning hours on August 30, 2012, the owner of a 2011 Toyota Sienna Mini-Van was driving home in San Jose, California. At a stop light, the driver was approached by two armed suspects. The suspects forced the victim out of his car, pistol-whipped him, and stole his car. The victim was able to call San Jose Police Department to report the carjacking/robbery. San Jose Police verified the robbery and entered the Toyota’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the vehicle. LoJack is the only theft recovery system that is directly operated by law enforcement and this interface is seamless and instantaneous.
A short while later, on the west side of San Jose, officers with the Santa Clara Auto Theft Task Force picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Toyota on the LoJack Police Tracking Computers installed in their patrol vehicles. Following the directional and signal strength cues on the LoJack computers, Santa Clara Task Force and SWAT Team officers tracked the stolen Toyota and located it, parked in the driveway of a house in San Jose. Two suspects were in the process of stripping the car in the driveway. Further investigation and a search of the home revealed the stolen property, along with several guns. The two suspects were detained and arrested for several felony charges. San Jose Police will be conducting the investigation.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Toyota Sienna on February 1, 2011 at Fremont Toyota in Fremont, California.