LoJack® System Helps Orange County Sheriff’s Office Recover Stolen John Deere 310 Backhoe
- October 17, 2014
- recovery stories
The Orange County Department of Public Works discovered a 2004 John Deere 310 Backhoe was missing from a construction site on Boogey Creek Road in the southeast portion of Orange County. They contacted the Orange County SO to report that their vehicle was stolen. The Backhoe was last seen on Friday September 12th.
The Orange County SO verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the John Deere.
Minutes later, deputies from the Orange County SO Auto Theft Unit picked up the silent LoJack® homing signals from the stolen John Deere 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 Deputies tracked the vehicle to an industrial area on Zell Road in Orange County. The location is a storage yard for trucks and construction equipment.
Upon arrival at the scene the deputies observed the backhoe being operated behind two parked large trucks. The person operating the equipment was the owner of the property. He was interviewed by the deputies and stated that a male had brought the backhoe to the lot the previous day inquiring about storing it at the location. The owner quoted him a price of $100.00 dollars a week. The male offered to allow him to use the equipment for the first week and stated he would return next week to pay him for the second week.
The investigation continues at this time and the property owner has been cooperating including providing video of the male that brought the equipment to the location.
The John Deere was returned to the Public Works department with the only damage being the removal of the VIN plate.
The LoJack® System was installed in the John Deere in August 2014.