LoJack System Helps Los Angeles Police Department Recover Stolen Audi Q5
- October 1, 2017
- recovery stories
The owners of a 2009 Audi Q5 contacted the Manhattan Beach Police Department to report that their vehicle was stolen by unknown suspects. Officers verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Audi Q5.
A short while later the Los Angeles Police Department Air-3 flight officers picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Audi with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC, Air-3 tracked the Audi from Sunset Blvd and the 110 Freeway to the area of Washington Blvd and Normandy locating the vehicle. Further they gave the description of a female suspect, who had exited wearing distinct clothing, to Olympic patrol units.
Audi Recovered, Suspect Arrested
Officers from the Olympic division arrived in time to observe the female suspect exit and began walking away. The officers observed the female walk into an apartment in the 1800 block of Cordova St then called for a containment to be set up by other units. Several canine officers arrived with their partners and began a systematic search for the suspect tracking her to an apartment inside the building. Contact was made with the occupant who told the officers her daughter had just arrived and was in the shower. A female officer contacted the suspect and observed that the hair color of red and been changed to purple and noted dye still running into the suspects eyes. She was given an opportunity to explain how she had obtained the victim’s Audi but refused to talk.
The suspect was arrested and later booked for the theft of the Audi. In addition the officers had obtained the video of the suspect entering the apartment matching the description that Air-3 had indicated. The undamaged recovered Audi was later towed and stored for safe keeping and processing.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Audi Q5 in July 2009 at Audi of Mission Viejo in California.