LoJack’s Top Five Construction Equipment Theft Stories of 2010

From busting major theft rings to arresting the thieves behind these crimes, LoJack has announced its top headlines of 2010.

Drum roll please…

Number 5!
Three Pieces of Equipment Recovered in Minutes By Police Using LoJack

Thieves broke into a company yard and stole a Big Tex utility trailer loaded with a John Deere Gator and a Polaris UTV.  Little did they know that all three were equipped with LoJack. Upon discovering the theft, the owner reported it to police, who activated the system.  Only two minutes after activation, deputies in the Phoenix area picked up the silent signal from the stolen Polaris, which was found sitting on a different flatbed trailer also stolen over the weekend. Nine minutes after activation, the Phoenix Police helicopter “Air 22” picked up the LoJack signal from the stolen John Deere Gator and tracked it to a dirt lot. Later, officers also recovered the stolen Big Tex trailer, which was abandoned in a hotel parking lot. The owners were extremely happy they had protected their equipment with LoJack!

Number 4!
LoJack System Helps Police Recover Equipment and Arrest 7

The operator of a LoJack-equipped 2006 Yellow Caterpillar 416-E combination front-end loader/backhoe contacted the Miami-Dade PD and reported his equipment stolen. Immediately upon activation, a police officer tracked down the unit, which was placed under surveillance.  The following week, a 2006 Yellow Caterpillar 420-E combination front-end loader/backhoe with LoJack was stolen from a construction site in Coral Gables. The backhoe was found quickly and also placed under surveillance.  Later, the Miami-Dade Auto Theft Task Force served search warrants at these locations and not only recovered the two Caterpillar backhoes, but also several other pieces of stolen equipment totaling nearly $200,000 in value. Seven subjects were arrested and charged with 30 felony counts.

Number 3!
LoJack 3 – GPS 0: LoJack-Equipped Backhoe Helps Recover Equipment with Disengaged GPS Systems

The owner of a 2006 Caterpillar Backhoe reported his backhoe stolen to the York County, SC Sheriff’s Department and shortly thereafter police tracked the signal to a local business. The backhoe was located behind the building intact and undamaged, along with two skid steer loaders that were also stolen and found thanks to the one backhoe’s LoJack system.  All three skid steer loaders were equipped with GPS locaters (not LoJack), which thieves had disengaged. One suspect was arrested. 

Number 2!
LoJack-Equipped Bobcat Helps Police Recover $1 Million in Stolen Assets 

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Santa Clarita Valley Station began tracking a LoJack-based Radio Frequency signal, which led them to a 60-acre rural lot in Northern Los Angeles County.  In a remote area, detectives recovered a LoJack-equipped Bobcat skid steer.  Upon further investigation, they discovered 35 stolen vehicles and many other mobile assets including stolen motor homes, utility vehicles, boats, recreational and construction trailers, tractors, generators, welders and other off-road vehicles, valued at more than $1 million.

And the Number 1 LoJack headline of 2010…

LoJack Helps Georgia Sheriff’s Department Bust $2 Million+ Theft Ring

The manager of a construction site in Georgia reported someone had stolen his 1994 Caterpillar D8, which was equipped with a LoJack system.  Officers with the Fayette County Sheriff Department’s helicopter unit began picking up the LoJack signal from the stolen bulldozer and tracked it down in less than two hours. Patrol units on the ground converged on the location and arrested four men, who were in process of dismantling the Caterpillar. In addition to recovering the stolen Caterpillar, the Sheriff’s Department identified several other pieces of heavy equipment and parts, with a total value of nearly $2 million – the largest chop shop bust for LoJack in Georgia.  All four men were charged with several counts of theft.