LoJack® System Helps El Monte Police Department Recover Stolen Mercedes E320
- July 26, 2016
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2000 Mercedes E320 contacted the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to report that their vehicle was stolen. According to the owner’s relative, his Mother is an elderly female and was apparently loading groceries into her Mercedes at a market parking lot when she was approached by the suspect who offered to help her. As he was loading the groceries, he jumped inside the Mercedes and drove off. Deputies verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Mercedes.
A short while later an officer from the El Monte Police Department had just pulled out of his station parking lot when he picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Mercedes 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 officer tracked the Mercedes to the intersection of Garvey and Valley Blvd when he observed the vehicle containing four individuals. He made a U-Turn and began following the Mercedes waiting for back up. The suspect driver pulled into a parking lot of a bank at which time the suspects were detained. The driver suspect told the officer he had borrowed the Mercedes from a woman in La Puente noting he had the key fob to the Mercedes. He was also found to be in possession of what appeared to be Meth. The other occupants were questioned and indicated the suspect driver had just picked them up. The driver was arrested and booked for the theft of the Mercedes and possession of a controlled substance. The other three passengers were released at the scene. Detectives will be following up on this investigation. The undamaged Mercedes was stored and later released to the owner.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Mercedes E320 in July 2005 at Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, California.