LoJack-Equipped Silverado Leads to Discovery of Chop Shop and 12 Other Stolen Vehicles in TX
- June 29, 2012
- recovery stories
On June 2, 2012, the owners of a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck contacted the Harris County Sheriff Department to report the vehicle stolen from a strip shopping center located in East Harris County. The Harris County Sheriff Department verified the theft and entered the Silverado’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. At the time of the theft, the owner was unaware that his pickup contained a LoJack system that had been installed by the previous owner.
A short while later, officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Helicopter 102, Harris County Sheriff’s Department deputies, and Pasadena Police Department officers all picked up the silent LoJack homing signals from the stolen Silverado on the Police Tracking Computers installed in their patrol vehicles. Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack computers, State Police Helicopter 102 quickly located the signal coming from a residence in a large subdivision on Aldine Westfield Road, north of Houston. Flight officers directed ground units to the area, and they quickly converged on the residence. After detaining several subjects and securing the location, officers from the Harris County Auto Theft task force were called to take over the investigation. Twelve additional vehicles were recovered, some in the process of being stripped of wheels, tires, and body parts. In total, the value of the recovered property totaled $125,000.
Several illegal immigrants — non-English speaking suspects – were taken to the detention center for questioning and are expected to be turned over to ICE for processing. Three suspects were arrested in total. Felony theft charges are expected to be filed at a later date on the owner of the residence.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck in October of 2005 in Baytown, Texas.