LoJack System Helps Los Angeles Police Department Recover a Stolen Kia Rio
- July 17, 2017
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2017 Kia Rio contacted the Los Angeles Police Department Mission Division to report that their vehicle was stolen by use of fraud and false identification. Officers responded, verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Kia Rio.
A short while later the Los Angeles Sherriff’s Department Air-8 picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Kia with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC, they tracked the Kia to 137 E Century Blvd and relayed this information to the LAPD Southeast patrol officers who responded and made contact with a female suspect who had driven the vehicle. Detectives from the Commercial Crimes advised the officers to arrest this individual and take her to the division lock up for further investigation. The Kia was stored for safe keeping and later returned to the victim undamaged.
Once at the Southeast Division, detectives interviewed the suspect who cooperated and informed them she had stolen three other vehicles from dealerships using false identity. The investigating detective indicated that two of the three cars were recovered in the Victorville area along with a stolen weapon so far. According to the detective, there have been over 20 vehicles taken by identity theft from various dealerships and 10 of them had been stolen in two days by the use of false identity. The Kia fortunately had LoJack resulting in the quick arrest of the suspect and recovery of the stolen Kia. Investigation continues.
Note that this Kia Rio is part of a Pre-Install program that offers protection to dealerships against theft and also to the new owners.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Kia Rio in April 2017 at Galpin Kia in Mission Hills, California.