LoJack System Helps Ontario Police Department Recover Stolen 2017 Ford Fusion with an Arrest
- December 21, 2018
- Law Enforcement
The owners of a 2017 Ford Fusion contacted the Riverside County Sheriff’s department to report their vehicle had been stolen. RDSD 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 Ontario PD 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 Ford to the parking lot of a large retail store. The officers found the Ford parked and unoccupied near the front of the store. Because of where it was parked the officers believed whoever parked the Ford was captured on the store video surveillance. The officers contacted the store security and reviewed the recorded surveillance. The officers were able to see the Ford being parked with a male driver and female passenger exiting the Ford. The officers also saw in the video footage that the female was exiting the store as the officers were walking in. The officers were able to determine the direction she walked away from the store. Patrol officers searched in the direction she was headed and were able to locate her a short distance away.
The officers interviewed the female and she admitted she was in the stolen Ford but did not have knowledge it was stolen. She also provided the officers the name of the male driver. Officers were unable to locate the driver but learned their agency had arrested him for theft on a prior occasion. Officers will be following up to locate and arrest the driver.
The undamaged Ford was recovered and the female passenger was arrested.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Ford Fusion in May 2016 at Galpin Ford, North Hills CA.