LAPD Air & Ground Units Use LoJack to Recover Stolen Honda Civic, Uncover Chop Shop
- October 23, 2012
- recovery stories
On September 29, 2012, the owner of a 2000 Honda Civic reported that his vehicle was stolen from the street in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Honda.
LAPD Air-3 picked up the silent LoJack homing signals from the stolen Honda on the Police Tracking Computer installed in their aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack computers, the flight officers directed Newton Street Division officers to the area of Stanford Street and Jefferson Boulevard. The ground units searched the area and were able to locate the vehicle inside an illegal auto repair business. The officers obtained access to the site, and located the stolen Honda, along with numerous other vehicles and vehicle parts. Detectives from LAPD’s Burglary Auto-Theft Division are conducting the follow-up investigation and thus far, have identified a total of 14 stolen vehicles that have been stripped at the location. This included four VIN-switched stolen vehicles and body parts, and engines and transmissions to nine other stolen vehicles. Two suspects have been identified and warrants will be pending. The value of the stolen Honda is $6,150.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the 2000 Honda Civic on August 2000 at Hoehn Honda in Carlsbad, California.