LoJack® System Helps Michigan State Police Recover Stolen Ford Fusion and Second Vehicle
- July 30, 2014
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2012 Ford Fusion contacted the Detroit Police Department to report that their vehicle was stolen overnight from the driveway of their Detroit residence.
Detroit Police verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Ford.
A short while later, troopers from the Michigan State Police picked up the silent LoJack® homing signals from the stolen Ford with the LoJack® Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC, the troopers tracked the vehicle to a residence in Detroit. The stolen Ford was partially covered with a tarp and there appeared to be another vehicle under a tarp parked in front of the Ford. There was no response at the residence, so the troopers contacted the South East Auto Theft Team (SEATT). Detectives responded and obtained information for a search warrant.
Upon executing the warrant, they found the stolen Ford along with a stolen 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both vehicles had evidence t they had been pushed to the location. Professional auto thieves have adapted to various factory installed anti-theft systems. Some of the thieves obtain keys by several methods. In many cases the thieves will either flat-bed tow the vehicle or disconnect the transmission linkage and push the stolen vehicle with another vehicle to a chop shop or remote location. The latter method is one of the most common used by Detroit area auto thieves.
Both stolen vehicles were impounded and arrests are pending further investigation.
The LoJack®System was installed in the Ford Fusion in April 2012.