(PICS) Another Chop Shop Shut Down Thanks to LoJack® System and Local Police
- March 8, 2013
Thanks to LoJack Corporation and local police, one Chicago chop shop has been uncovered and a suspect arrested.
In the early morning hours of February 12th, 2012, the distraught owner of a Honda Civic contacted the Forest View Police Department to report their vehicle had been stolen. Police verified the vehicle as stolen and entered it into local and federal crime computers. This automatically activates the LoJack® transponder hidden within the stolen vehicle.
A few hours later, a Chicago Police cruiser began receiving the silent signals from the LoJack transponder hidden in the Honda on their LoJack Police Tracking Computer (PTC). Shortly thereafter, a Chicago Police Department helicopter picked up the same LoJack transponder signals on their LoJack Police Tracking Computer and the helicopter was able to pinpoint the signal as coming from a garage on Ave M.
Chicago Police granted access to the garage and found what appeared to be an operating chop shop. Within the garage, police found the Honda being tracked and what appeared to be two other vehicles completely dismantled.
Further investigation revealed parts of four other recently stolen cars. The owner of the Honda equipped with LoJack tracking transponder recovered his vehicle with virtually no damage; however, the owners of the other stolen vehicles weren’t as lucky.
A Chicago Police detective on the scene stated, “they might have got away with this for a while, but they stole the wrong car this time, LoJack Corporation nailed them!”
One suspect was arrested on the scene and detectives investigating the incident stated that more arrests were sure to follow. This investigation continues.
NOTE: Portions of this story were obtained from Forest View and Chicago police departments