Kern County Police Use LoJack to Recover Stolen Honda Civic, Arrest Parolee for Theft, Drugs
- November 15, 2012
- recovery stories
On October 29, 2012, the owner of a Honda Civic contacted the Bakersfield Police Department to report the vehicle was stolen. The Bakersfield Police Department verified the theft and entered the Honda’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the vehicle.
Minutes later, a sergeant from the Kern County Auto Theft Task Force – KERNCAT – picked up the silent LoJack homing signals from the stolen Honda on the Police Tracking Computer installed in his undercover vehicle. Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack computer, the sergeant tracked the vehicle to the parking lot of a motel in central Bakersfield. Assisting units responded and initiated surveillance on the unoccupied vehicle. About three hours later, an adult female got into the vehicle and attempted to drive away. She was quickly detained and the vehicle was secured. The female was later arrested for vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, drug possession and violation of parole.
The vehicle, valued at $5,700, was recovered intact and undamaged; it was released to the owner at the scene. The owner of the vehicle was unaware that there was a LoJack system in her car, but was grateful that it aided in the speedy recovery of her vehicle.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Honda in March of 1999 at Miller Honda in Van Nuys, California.