San Diego Police Use LoJack® to Recover Stolen Jeep Wrangler on its Way to Mexico
- March 15, 2013
This criminal had dreams of crossing the Mexican border and riding off into the sunset with his new stolen Jeep Wrangler; however LoJack and police had other ideas.
The story begins when the startled owner of a 2005 Jeep Wrangler contacted the Los Angeles Police to report that his vehicle was stolen right from his driveway at his home in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Police Department verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Jeep.
Within an hour, a deputy from San Diego County Sheriff’s Department picked up the silent LoJack signals from the stolen Jeep. The deputy tracked the vehicle as it traveled southbound on Interstate 5 in the city of Encinitas. The deputy initiated a high-risk stop and arrested a male driver for possession of stolen property and vehicle theft. The suspect admitted to the theft, and stated that he was attempting to drive the Jeep Wrangler to Mexico.
The owner was very happy when San Diego County Sheriff’s contacted him to advise that the vehicle was recovered undamaged. The Jeep Wrangler was valued at approximately $17,400.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Jeep Wrangler on April 22, 2005 at Valencia Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM SRT, in Valencia, California.
NOTE: Portions of this story were obtained from Los Angeles and San Diego Police Departments