LoJack's Top Recovery Stories of 2008
The 2008 list highlights the role of chop shops and organized crime behind motorcycle theft. One story also shows how thieves are using the Internet to their advantage.
“This year’s top recovery stories continue to show that professional thieves and organized crime are behind most motorcycle theft, which means that bike owners need to take extra precautions to ensure they’re protected from these sophisticated criminals,” says Patrick Clancy, LoJack’s vice president of law enforcement. “Owners should park in a well lit area and in view of a security camera if possible; avoid parking between large vehicles because it provides ‘cover’ for thieves; and lock the bike to a secure, immovable object or to another bike. Lastly, use theft deterrents such as alarms or kill switches to deter amateur thieves and to ensure it’s protected from the professionals, equip bikes with a recovery system so it can be recovered if stolen.”
LoJack’s top stolen motorcycle recovery stories for 2008:
- Most Arrests Made in Recoveries – In less than 48 hours, LoJack for Motorcycles helped Las Vegas police and the Southern Nevada Auto Theft Task Force uncover two theft rings, leading to the arrest of ten suspects. Four stolen Honda motorcycles and a Yamaha ATV were recovered in the two raids.
- Fastest Motorcycle Recovery Leads to Big Chop Shop – A Yamaha YZR was recovered just eight minutes after the LoJack for Motorcycles system was activated. The recovery led Los Angeles police to find seven other stolen bikes and parts with an estimated total worth of over $100,000.
- Best Bust Reflecting the Trend of Selling Stolen Bikes Online – A potential motorcycle buyer saw an online advertisement for a motorcycle and contacted the posters about the bike. What the buyer didn’t know was that the poster did not own the bike advertised. Once the posters were contacted by the interested buyer, they allegedly stole a motorcycle that fit the description in the advertisement. Using this method, thieves could minimize the time they would be in possession of the stolen bike. LoJack’s recovery system located the bike ten minutes after activation about 75 miles away from where it was taken.
- Bike Stolen and Recovered Four Times in Nine Months – A Tuscon, Ariz. resident’s Yamaha YZF-R6 was stolen and recovered for the fourth time since August 2007. LoJack for Motorcycles helped police locate the bikes 14 minutes after activation.
- Best LoJack Early Warning Recovery – LoJack’s Early Warning system notified the owner of a Yamaha YZF-R6 after the bike was moved from his apartment’s parking lot without his permission. Police were able to track the system’s silent signal 20 minutes later moving on a local interstate highway. When officers closed in on the transmission, they had difficulty finding the R6. As officers passed a nearby cargo van, the signal’s direction arrow reversed. The police stopped the van and discovered the R6 and two other stolen motorcycles inside. Two suspects were arrested.
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