Royal Brothers Trailer — Containing Expensive Construction Equipment — Stolen and Quickly Recovered Intact
- June 8, 2012
- recovery stories
A Raleigh hardwood floor contractor had left a Royal Brothers 17’ Enclosed Utility Trailer at his home/business location in north Raleigh and traveled out of the city. Upon returning to Raleigh, the contractor discovered the trailer – containing a portable 27 horsepower Kawasaki engine, a dust removal machine, and other small tools – missing. The missing items had a total value of more than $20,000.00 and were very essential to his company’s business. The contractor quickly reported the crime to the Raleigh Police Department.
Raleigh Police completed a stolen vehicle report and had the trailer’s information entered into the state and federal crime computers. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the trailer, prompting it to begin emitting a silent homing signal. Neither the owner nor law enforcement agents had to do anything else to activate the LoJack Vehicle Recovery Network, as LoJack’s interface with the police is both seamless and instantaneous.
Within hours, Raleigh Police officers checking on duty at the Southeast District Office began to receive the stolen trailer’s LoJack homing signal on the LoJack Police Tracking Computer installed in their patrol units. Following the directional and audible signal on the computers, the officers were led to an area near MLK Boulevard and Raleigh Boulevard, and then on to Grantland and Sundial Lane. The officers located the trailer behind a residence on Sundial Lane.
A witness provided information that a known person brought the trailer to the home. Evidence, including footprints, was taken from the interior of the trailer. The trailer and its contents were recovered, and the owner was called to the recovery site to take possession of his property. This remains an ongoing investigation.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in this trailer at the owner’s request in January 2012. The owner stated, “I am very pleased with the quick recovery of all my equipment. I have told all my contractor friends how well LoJack and law enforcement worked together in getting my trailer back. I think several of those friends will be buying LoJack to help protect their business equipment.”