LoJack® System Helps Law Enforcement Recover Stolen 2006 John Deere 310-G combination front-end loader/backhoe

The operator of a 2006 John Deere 310-G combination front-end loader/backhoe arrived at their jobsite and discovered their piece of construction equipment missing. They contacted the Miami Police Department to report their machine stolen. The responding officer prepared a stolen report, theft affidavit, but could not enter the equipment into the state and federal crime information computers correctly because they didn’t have the correct information. After the weekend was over, the operator ascertained the proper information and had the officer amend the report. Following that, the officer had the necessary information to have it entered into the national crime information computer system.

Shortly thereafter, an Auto Theft Task Force investigator picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen 310-G backhoe on their on-board LoJack Police Tracking Computer (PTC). The investigator began tracking the stolen machine by following the directional and audible cues on the PTC screen. The investigator, along with their backup from a Miami-Dade Police Department officer who was also tracking the construction equipment, discovered the signal from the area of NW 41^st Street and NW 25^th Avenue.  The investigator and officer walked up a ramp, that led to a facility that was used to load containers, to interact with the owner of the business to request permission to look for the backhoe since the pair thought that the backhoe was somewhere on the property. Once up the ramp they met with the owner. While inside the building conversing with the owner, the investigator and officer observed a backhoe. The owner was questioned about it, whereupon he mentioned that a customer of theirs left the backhoe so that it could be loaded into a container and shipped. Further investigation revealed that the backhoe that the pair observed was indeed the stolen backhoe that they were tracking. Another pair of Miami-Dade PD officers responded and continued the investigation. The piece of construction equipment was recovered, towed to the police impound yard for safekeeping, and removed from state and federal crime information computer systems.

The LoJack^® System was installed in the 2006 John Deere 310-G combination front-end loader/backhoe in July 2006 in Florida.