Crime Stoppers

Abducted machines, chop shops, bad guys, big busts and the long arm of radio frequency technology topped LoJack’s “best of” recovery stories for last year. The LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System is the Kleenex of anti-theft devices, and after each year the company rolls out its most interesting apprehensions and arrests for the public — big pinches where equipment kingpins and criminals lose to clever technology and impressive customer service.  

LoJack’s radio frequency technology operates even if the equipment is in a concrete garage, steal container or hidden in dense foliage, and its success is really dependent on  direct integration with police law enforcement, which end up busting major chop shop rings, recovering equipment unharmed and arresting the thieves behind these and other more serious crimes. Compact equipment (skid steers, mini excavators, compact utility loaders, backhoes and tractors) are of particular interest to hijackers because of their transportable size and frequency on jobsites. If you’re not convinced your fleet needs protection in these uncertain economic times, just check out these LoJack stories below.

Everybody Loves this Welder

The owner reported a 2005 Lincoln welder stolen and within minutes officers with the Dallas Police Department tracked the equipment to a house where they found the welder in the garage. The homeowner stated that he had bought the welder from an individual at a flea market. Upon investigation, the police discovered that the welder had been stolen five times and recovered each time, thanks to police and LoJack. It goes to show Lincoln makes a popular welder, but if you need one that badly, you might want to just buy it yourself.

Thieves with Priority Shipping  

In this recovery, a 2006 yellow John Deere front-end loader backhoe was stolen from a construction site near the Florida Turnpike. A deputy with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office tracked the radio frequency signal to a freighter docked on the Intracoastal Waterway being loaded and bound for Costa Rica, Venezuela and other South American countries. Four containers from the ship were placed on the deck and police were able to pinpoint the container holding the LoJack-equipped backhoe. When the container was opened, a second stolen backhoe was also recovered — both undamaged. It’s a shame when your construction equipment gets to visit Costa Rica before you and your crews.

Drugs, Guns and Recovery

Deputies with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona tracked a stolen Ingersoll Rand air compressor to a remote housing area where they recovered the stolen air compressor and a stolen Dodge flatbed work truck, as well as thousands of dollars worth of computers and related equipment that recently had been taken in a burglary. In addition, they found drugs and seized several guns. Two suspects were booked on multiple theft charges and a third was found to have several outstanding arrest warrants. Ingersoll Rand compressors also do impressive undercover work.  

Fastest Chop Shop Bust

A 2007 Caterpillar forklift was reported stolen and within 10 minutes the forklift was located on a flatbed tow truck. Two suspects were seen entering the tow truck in an effort to flee the scene. A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (California) helicopter was brought in to assist in stopping the vehicle. The two suspects — both of whom were on parole — were apprehended. In total, Fontana police recovered five vehicles valued at more than $100,000 and arrested four suspects. Ten minutes is certainly not enough time to properly test drive a new-to-you forklift.

Going Broke at Texas Hold’Em

Two 2007 Case 580 front loader backhoes were stolen from a construction site in Chicago. When the working crew arrived on a Friday morning, they called to report the theft. Fortunately, one of the backhoes was equipped with a LoJack system. Several agencies, including officials with the Illinois State Police, Northeast Metro Auto Theft Task Force and NICB, tracked the LoJack signal to I-94 South and converged on a Freightliner truck towing a flatbed trailer with both backhoes. The driver of the Freightliner, which had Texas license plates, was arrested and both backhoes — valued at more than $100,000 — were recovered.  The sophisticated suspect even lowered the tire pressure in the backhoes, which would assist him in transporting the stolen assets under low overheads. Unfortunately, he wasn’t smart enough to avoid the high technology of the LoJack system.

 

LoJack Corp., the company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery market more than two decades ago, is a global leader in finding and recovering a wide range of mobile assets including cars, construction equipment and motorcycles — having recovered more than $5 billion in stolen assets worldwide.  In today’s rapidly changing world, LoJack’s core competencies are more valuable and more relevant than ever as they are now being applied into new areas, such as the prevention, detection and recovery of stolen cargo and finding and rescuing people with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and autism. LoJack’s Stolen Vehicle Recovery System operates in 27 states and the District of Columbia, and in more than 30 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.  For more information, visit www.lojack.com.