LoJack System Helps Michigan State Police Aviation Recover Audi S8 Stolen From Car Dealership
- August 31, 2018
- Law Enforcement
The owner of a 2009 Audi S8 contacted the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office to report that their vehicle had been stolen from his car dealership in Pontiac, Michigan.
The owner had further advised that he believed that the keys for the Audi had been stolen by a male who was interested in test driving several high end vehicles. The male could not provide a valid driver’s license and was ineligible to drive any of the vehicles.
Oakland County SO verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Audi.
A short while later troopers from Michigan State Police flying routine air patrol in Trooper Two in Metro Detroit picked up the silent LoJack signal from the stolen Audi 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 vehicle which was moving. Information was transmitted to ground units responding with PTC’s.
Upon seeing the increased presence of law enforcement the suspect attempted to flee, however was stopped after a short pursuit. Because of the quick recovery the suspect did not have enough time to strip the vehicle or use it to commit additional crimes. The stolen Audi was impounded and later returned to the dealership.
It was later determined that the driver of the stolen Audi was the person who had attempted to test drive it along with several other vehicles. This matter is still under investigation and several charges are pending.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Audi S8 in October 2009 at Luxury Motors O’Hare, Chicago, Illinois.