LoJack® System Helps Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and TRAP Team Recover Stolen Cadillac Escalade
- June 14, 2016
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2007 Cadillac Escalade contacted the Los Angeles Police Department to report their vehicle was stolen. The LAPD West Los Angeles verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Cadillac.
Only three minutes later deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Compton picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Cadillac 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 Cadillac to a residence in the city of Compton. The deputies found the unoccupied Cadillac parked in the driveway of a residence. Parked next to the Cadillac was a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado. Patrol deputies set up surveillance on the Cadillac and called in TRAP (Taskforce for Regional Auto theft Prevention) to take over the investigation. The TRAP investigators identified the Chevrolet Silverado as a stolen, which was taken the day prior. The Chevrolet was not LoJack equipped. As TRAP was conducting their investigation a female exited the house at their location. The female initially claimed she was sleeping and had no idea who parked the vehicles in her driveway. When TRAP investigators pressed further she told them her boyfriend parked both stolen vehicles in her driveway. When TRAP investigators searched the property they found a 2005 Chevrolet Impala in the backyard. The Impala was registered to the female but was missing the public Vehicle Identification Number. The TRAP investigators located a 2005 Chevrolet Impala parked across the street from their location. Upon furthering examination TRAP investigators identified it as a VIN switched stolen utilizing the female’s Chevrolet Impala VIN. The Impala was stolen in February 2016 and was not LoJack equipped. The 07’ Cadillac Escalade along with the Impala and Silverado were recovered. The female was arrested and three counts of receiving stolen property and operating a chop shop were filed. The female refused to identify her boyfriend.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Cadillac Escalade in June 2007 at Bayview Cadillac in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.