LoJack® System Helps Gila River Tribal Police Department Recover Stolen Chevrolet Suburban
- October 7, 2015
- recovery stories
The owners of a Chevrolet Suburban contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department to report that their vehicle had been stolen from their parking spot.
The Maricopa County SD verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Chevrolet.
A short while later, troopers from the Arizona Highway Patrol picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Chevrolet 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 troopers tracked the Chevrolet to the desert near Sacaton, on the Gila River Indian reservation.
The troopers contacted the Gila River Tribal Police Department and requested assistance. It was night and due to the darkness, the Chevrolet was out of view of the troopers and tribal police officers, somewhere in the desert off the main roads. As one of the tribal police vehicles drove along a muddy canal bank, the occupants in the stolen Chevy Suburban fled in the vehicle. Due to hazardous conditions, police let the Chevy go. The Mesa Police Department helicopter later assisted and with the use of the LoJack PTC installed in the helicopter, tracked the stolen Chevy Suburban to a residence on the Gila River Indian Reservation. The Chevy had fled about 20 miles from the original location. As the Arizona Highway Patrol troopers and Gila River Tribal Police officers moved in on the residence, the suspect fled from the house and jumped into the stolen Chevy Suburban. The Mesa PD helicopter crew followed the Chevy as the suspect attempted to drive across a muddy field where the vehicle became stuck. The suspect was taken into custody by the Gila River Tribal Police. The suspect was booked for the theft of the vehicle and additional felony charges. The Chevy Suburban was impounded for safe keeping and later returned to the owners in good condition.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Chevrolet Suburban in August 1999 by Chapman Chevrolet in Tempe, Arizona.