VW Jetta Stolen in Car Jacking in LA; LoJack Aids Officers in Vehicle Recovery, Arrest of Suspect
- June 27, 2013
On July 23, 2012, the owner of a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta left his driver’s door open while carrying items from the vehicle. When he returned, he observed a male suspect sitting in his driver’s seat. Then, the suspect held out his hand for the keys; fearing for his safety, the victim gave up the keys, and the suspect quickly drove off. The victim then contacted the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Division to report the theft.
LAPD officers verified the theft and entered the Volkswagen’s information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the vehicle.
Minutes later, an officer from the La Verne Police Department picked up the silent LoJack signal in the area of Foothill Boulevard and Moreno Avenue. After learning the vehicle had been taken in a “Car Jack” incident, he notified area units and began tracking the vehicle. The California Highway Patrol subsequently found the abandoned Volkswagen on the 210 Freeway at Foothill.
While investigating the incident, the La Verne officer obtained a description of the suspect and realized that they had arrested this suspect several hours earlier for residential and vehicular burglaries in the area. Further investigation linked the suspect to the Volkswagen carjacking. The suspect faces numerous felony charges, including carjacking, residential burglary and felony resisting.
The LoJack Vehicle Recovery System was installed in the Volkswagen in April of 2007 at Livingston Volkswagen.