LoJack® System Helps Signal Hill Police Department Recover Stolen Toyota Tacoma
- January 30, 2015
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2009 Toyota Tacoma contacted the Long Beach Police Department to report their vehicle was stolen. The Long Beach PD verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Toyota.
Only six minutes later officers from Signal Hill Police Department picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Toyota 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 officers tracked the Toyota to a retail parking lot in the 2700 block of Cherry Avenue in the city of Signal Hill. The officers found the unoccupied Toyota backed into a stall near the front doors of the retail store. The officers noticed there were cameras covering the front of the store. One of the officers contacted store personnel to review store video while the other officer remained outside the store. The officer reviewing the video was able to see the stolen Toyota being parked and the subject exiting the Toyota. While in front of the camera monitors the officer saw the same subject in the video now exiting the front doors of the retail store. The officer relayed this information, along with the suspect description to his partner. The officer outside the store detained the subject. Upon questioning the subject claimed he was dropped off at the location by a friend and knew nothing about the stolen Toyota. The suspect was unable to explain why he had the key to the stolen Toyota in his pocket. The suspect was subsequently arrested and the Toyota was recovered.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Toyota Tacoma in March 2009 at Hooman Toyota in Long Beach, California.