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LoJack® System Helps Rio Rancho Police Department Recover a Stolen Ford Taurus

  • June 19, 2019
  • Law Enforcement
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The owner of a 2000 Ford Taurus contacted the Albuquerque Police Department to report the vehicle stolen.  The owner advised he took his Ford to an auto repair shop to have the water pump replaced.  The owner went to the repair shop to check on the progress and discovered the shop was out of business.  The owner could not contact the shop and the Ford was no longer on site.  The Albuquerque 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 Taurus.

Approximately five minutes after the activation, officers with the Rio Rancho Police Department and an agent with the New Mexico State Police Auto Theft Suppression Unit picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Ford with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTC) installed in their patrol and undercover vehicles.  Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC, the officer tracked the LoJack signal to the area of Westside Blvd NW and NM 528 Blvd SE.

Additional marked units entered the area along with undercover units from Rio Rancho PD’s Special Services Unit.  Agents with NMSP Auto Theft unit also arrived into the area to assist.  The Ford was located in the backyard of a residence.  The owner of the residence advised via telephone that he took over the repairs of the Ford after the auto shop went out of business.  However, the owner of the Ford had no knowledge his Ford was moved to a personal residence.  The Ford was subsequently recovered from the scene and will be returned to the owner.  This investigation is still on-going as this is a multi-jurisdictional case.

Of special note, this is the second time this Ford has been reported stolen and recovered by law enforcement via LoJack.  The Ford was previously reported stolen in September 2014 to the San Diego Police Department in California and was successfully recovered.  The owner made a wise decision nearly 18 years ago to purchase LoJack to protect his Ford Taurus in the event of theft.

The LoJack® System was installed in the Ford Taurus in December 2001 at Witt Lincoln in San Diego, California.


Printed from the LoJack Recovery Story Library.

LoJack® unit activation is contingent upon the vehicle being located within LoJack’s coverage area that spans counties across 29 states throughout the U.S. and District of Columbia. You may find LoJack’s coverage areas at www.lojack.com/coverage or by calling 1-800-4-LoJack.

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