LoJack Helps Rental Company Recover Stolen Terex Mini-excavator

Theft recovery system quickly leads police directly to the $40,000 machine

On Sunday July 21, the managers of a rental company contacted the Colorado Springs Police Department to report that a Terex mini-excavator had been stolen from the parking lot during the night. This equipment had been attacked by thieves the previous Friday night, but the locks and safety measures had prevented the theft. However, the thieves were successful in overcoming these prevention measures on Saturday night and got away with the equipment.

A LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System had been installed in the mini-excavator in May 2011. The police verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers, which automatically activated the transponder concealed in the machine. The LoJack theft recovery system is directly operated by law enforcement, providing a seamless and instantaneous interface.

A short while later, officers with the Colorado Springs PD and investigators with the BATTLE Auto Theft Task Force picked up the silent LoJack homing signals from the stolen mini-excavator with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers (PTCs) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. The LoJack PTCs provide officers with on-board information that permits them to locate the stolen vehicle quickly and with an increased margin of safety.

Following the directional and audible cues from the LoJack PTCs, the officers quickly tracked the machine to a parking lot. The equipment was recovered intact and returned to the owners. Approximate recovery value was $40,000.

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