LoJack® System Helps Tacoma Police Department Recover a Stolen Mercedes CLS500
- April 13, 2016
- recovery stories
A person walked into a used car dealership, located in the 7000 block of South Tacoma Way, and expressed interest in a Mercedes sedan for sale on the lot. This person was not allowed to drive the Mercedes because he could not produce a driver’s license. When he asked if he could start the Mercedes to listen to the engine the salesman allowed that but when he attempted to get into the passenger seat, the suspect drove off injuring the left leg of the salesman. On his way out of the lot, the suspect hit a parked Infiniti G35 and scraped a telephone pole.
The crimes were reported to the Tacoma Police Department who verified the information and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Mercedes.
Just twelve minutes after the LoJack was activated, a Tacoma PD officer, equipped with a LoJack Police Tracking Computer (PTC), received the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Mercedes. He quickly tracked the Mercedes to an alley behind a house located in the 1100 block of South Sheridan Avenue in Tacoma. Occupants of the house were contacted but it was determined they had no involvement in the stolen Mercedes.
There was no additional damage other than what occurred at the time of theft. The dealership was called to take possession of the Mercedes after it was processed for evidence. When the used car dealership purchased it they had no idea it was equipped with LoJack.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Mercedes in July 2006 at Key Mercedes in Van Nuys, California.