Thieves Attempt to Disguise Stolen Case Backhoe, Recovered Undamaged by NYPD
- August 6, 2012
- recovery stories
Vehicle: 2006 Case Backhoe
Activation: Staten Island NY July 10,2012 10.46hrs
Recovery: Staten Island NY July 10,2012 18.53hrs
Dealership: Perfetto Construction Staten Island NY
On July 10, 2012, the owner of a 2006 Case Backhoe contacted the New York Police Department’s 122nd Precinct to report that the equipment was stolen from a job site in Staten Island where he was doing a construction job. NYPD officers verified the theft and had the equipment’s information entered into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed inside the backhoe.
A short while later, officers with the Staten Island Auto Larceny Unit picked up the silent LoJack homing signal from the stolen backhoe on the LoJack Police Tracking Computer installed in their patrol vehicle. Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack computers, the officers tracked the backhoe to a newly-developed residential area in Staten Island. There, they located the vehicle secreted in a wooded area. They staked the machine out for a short while; however, when no one returned for it, they took the machine into custody.
The backhoe was recovered in excellent condition, without any damage. However, on inspection by the owner at the recovery scene, he noticed that the brand name Case had been covered up with Hertz stickers. This was apparently done to disguise the machine. Although it may have altered the machine’s appearance, it did not alter the LoJack signal which enabled the police to track it. The owner was elated that his machine was recovered so quickly, and that he was able to finish the job without further interruption.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the 2006 Case Backhoe by Perfetto Construction in Staten Island, NY.