LoJack System Helps Santa Ana Police Department Recover Stolen Toyota Yaris within Minutes with Two Arrests
- November 23, 2018
- Law Enforcement
The owner of a 2007 Toyota Yaris contacted the Santa Ana Police Department to report his vehicle was stolen. The victim told the officers his vehicle was parked in his driveway and that he had left it unlocked with the keys in the center console. Santa Ana 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 Toyota.
Only 8 minutes later officers from Santa Ana PD picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Toyota 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 Toyota as it was being driven in the city of Irvine, just outside of the city of Santa Ana. The patrol officer followed the Toyota while awaiting back-up to arrive. The officer followed the Toyota into a residential area where the driver pulled to the curb and stopped without the officer activating his emergency lights. The officer was able to contain the four occupants of the Toyota until assistance arrived.
The officer conducting the investigation learned one of the passengers lived near the location where the Toyota was stolen. This passenger claimed she only knew the other occupants through Facebook but didn’t know their names. She also claimed they had just picked her up in the Toyota. The driver did not speak to the officer. Both these occupants of the Toyota were arrested and the other two were released. The undamaged Toyota was returned to the owner.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Toyota Yaris in December 2006 at Claremont Toyota, Claremont CA.