LoJack System Helps Illinois State Police Recover Stolen 2005 Ford F250
- January 1, 2019
- Law Enforcement
The owner of a Ford F250 contacted the Oak Forest Police Department to report that their vehicle had been stolen from a construction job site on the 16700 block of South Kilpatrick Avenue in Oak Forest. Oak Forest Police 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 while later officers from Chicago’s Engelwood District and Troopers from the Illinois State Police picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Ford 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 officers tracked the vehicle to the 7100 block of South Bell Ave in Chicago’s Engelwood neighborhood. The stolen F250 was located in a fenced and locked auto repair shop. Chicago patrol officers maintained surveillance of the lot and Chicago’s Major Auto Theft Investigations Unit obtained a warrant for the premise. The owner of lot arrived on scene and stated he rented spaces on his land and would cooperate with the investigation.
The vehicle was recovered with damage to the ignition. Further investigation of parked vehicles on the lot revealed one other suspicious vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Traverse, which was towed for investigation. The State Police contacted the owner of the Ford F250 and arranged for his vehicle to be towed for safekeeping. The victim who was a secondary owner of the LoJack installed on his truck was ecstatic with the recovery of his truck. The owner stated he had spent thousands of dollars on the restoration of his truck and police recovered it before it could be stripped. Police Investigation of the incident continues.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Ford F250 in Mar of 2006 at Auto Finance Specialists, in El Cajon California