LoJack® System Helps Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Recover Stolen BMW 323
- June 14, 2016
- recovery stories
The owner of a 2002 BMW 323 contacted the Long Beach Police Department to report his vehicle was stolen. The victim told the police that he leaves a key in the center console because of a malfunctioning locking system. During the morning hours the victim was awakened by the sound of his BMW being started. The victim looked out a window of his residence and saw his BMW being driven away by a white male.
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 BMW.
Only four minutes later deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Lakewood station picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen BMW with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. A patrol deputy picked up the LoJack signal while in his patrol vehicle at the station. The deputy began tracking the BMW and broadcast the stolen vehicle information and his location. Assisting deputies drove to the area to assist the tracking deputy. An assisting deputy broadcast that he had a black BMW 323 pass him but it did not have license plates attached. The deputy lost sight of the BMW and searched the area he last saw it. A citizen flagged down the deputy and asked if he was looking for a BMW, which the deputy stated he was. The deputy was directed to a nearby parking lot by the citizen. When the deputy pulled into the parking lot he saw a male walking through the lot. The deputy recognized the subject as the subject he had seen driving the BMW. The deputy that originally picked up the LoJack signal arrived at the location and identified the BMW with no plates as the stolen BMW. While the deputies had the male subject detained they located a witness. The witness identified the subject as the one who drove the BMW into the parking lot. Upon questioning, the suspect admitted to driving the BMW. The suspect was arrested for the theft of the BMW and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
The LoJack® System was installed in the BMW 323 in February 2004 at Long Beach BMW in California.