The LoJack® System Helps Placer County, California Auto Theft Task Force Recover Stolen Ford Focus in One Hour, 10 Minutes
- July 26, 2013
In this case, a 2008 Ford Focus was taken from a firehouse while its owner is on duty- a pretty low move even for a car thief! Local law enforcement, assisted by the LoJack® system, were able to help their colleague out by recovering the Focus in a little over an hour after activation, and arresting a pretty nasty character in the process.
On July 18th, 2013, the Ford’s owner contacted Grass Valley, CA Police to report that someone had found their way to the rear of the Grass Valley Fire Department, broken into three vehicles belonging to fire fighters, and stolen the Focus. Officers verified the theft and entered the car’s information into the California Stolen Vehicle System as well as the national system, NCIC. This action automatically activated the LoJack device, which was installed at Razzari Ford in Merced, CA.
A short time later, officers from the Rocklin Police Department received the homing signal from the Ford on the LoJack tracking computers installed in their patrol vehicles. They were directed to a convenience store where they saw the Focus parked and unoccupied. Rocklin PD contacted the Placer County Auto Theft Task Force, who set up a surveillance of the stolen car. Within minutes the suspect entered the vehicle and drove away. The Ford was stopped, and the suspect, later found to be a wanted parolee from state prison, was taken into custody without incident. A majority of the property taken from the other vehicles was recovered as well. The Focus was soon returned to its very happy owner.