LoJack System Helps Oakley Police Department Recover Stolen Ford F150
- May 2, 2017
- recovery stories
The owner of a 2006 Ford F150 contacted the Brentwood Police Department to report that their vehicle had been stolen. The victim stated they discovered the Ford missing from the street in front of their residence in the 1200 block of Piccadilly Lane. The Brentwood 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 Ford.
A short time later, officers from the Oakley Police Department picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Ford with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) which are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC the officers tracked the stolen Ford to the residential area of Fall Circle and Fall Lane where the vehicle was found parked at the curb, unoccupied. Both of the license plates had been removed from the Ford and had been replaced with new car dealership placards, which would prevent the stolen vehicle from being detected by law enforcement license plate readers. The public Vehicle Identification Number plate on the dash had also been covered with a piece of paper. Surveillance was set up on the Ford and a short time later a male subject approached the Ford and entered the driver’s door.
A second vehicle then stopped next to the Ford, the two subjects conversed briefly and then drove away, with the Ford following the other vehicle. The two vehicles were followed and marked Oakley PD units responded. After several blocks, the suspects apparently saw the marked police units and the suspect made several quick turns in an attempt to escape. The suspect driving the stolen F150 then stopped in the middle of the street on Loren Lane north of Mellowood Drive, exited the truck and began walking away. The marked Oakley PD units arrived and immediately took the suspect into custody. The suspect was known to Oakley PD from prior arrests. He denied being the driver even though the surveillance never lost sight of him from the time he entered the Ford until he abandoned it and was taken into custody. The second vehicle fled, but the license plate was obtained and follow-up investigation will be conducted to determine their involvement if any.
The stolen Ford pickup was recovered and released to the owner at the scene. The owner was extremely grateful to have his Ford quickly returned to him as it is his only form of transportation. He was unaware the Ford had been equipped with LoJack by a previous owner.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Ford F150 in September 2005 at Claremont Ford in California.