LoJack® System Helps Bonney Lake Police Department Recover a Stolen John Deere Backhoe
- June 14, 2016
- recovery stories
This John Deere backhoe was stolen during the night from a jobsite located in the 16800 block of West Hill Drive in Bonney Lake. When the theft was discovered the next morning, it was immediately reported it to the Bonney Lake Police Department who verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers. That process automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the backhoe.
A short time later, a Sumner Police Department officer responded to assist in tracking the machine and immediately received the silent LoJack signal from the stolen John Deere on the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. He located the strong signal at a driveway leading to a residence in the 18200 block of Rhodes Lake Road in Bonney Lake. A nearby resident advised officers he observed the backhoe being driven down that driveway around 4:00 a.m. that morning.
A detective from the Auto Crime Enforcement (ACE) task force responded and wrote a search warrant affidavit which was approved by a judge. The property was entered and the machine located.
A suspect in the theft was identified but was not at the location of the recovery. Investigation is continuing.
The LoJack® System was installed in this John Deere backhoe in July 2007 via Commercial Sales.