LoJack Helps CHP Officers Recover Stolen Toyota Corolla at Porterville Motel, 1 Suspect Arrested
- February 9, 2013
- recovery stories
On January 10, 2013, the owner of a 2003 Toyota Corolla contacted the Visalia Police Department to report that their vehicle had been stolen. The owner had left the vehicle unattended and running when he went into a local convenience store to make a quick purchase. The Visalia Police Department verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Toyota.
A short while later, an officer from the Porterville office of the California Highway Patrol picked up the silent LoJack homing signals from the stolen Toyota on the Police Tracking Computer installed in his patrol vehicle. Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack computer, the officer tracked the vehicle to a motel parking lot in central Porterville. The vehicle was found unoccupied in the lot. A male adult staying at the motel was identified as the suspect in this theft. The officer located the suspect in a motel room and took him into custody. The suspect was later charged with vehicle theft and possession of stolen property. A second suspect has been identified in connection with this case and is being sought by authorities.
The vehicle was recovered intact and undamaged; it was stored pending release to the owner.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in this 2003 Toyota Corolla at Cerritos Toyota in Cerritos, California in July of 2002. This vehicle is valued at $7,100.