A beautiful thing: Bike thieves getting busted

June 25, 1:51 PMMotorcycle ExaminerKen Bingenheimer

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  Putting bike thieves where they belong

Can we all agree that we hate the slimey guys who steal motorcycles? No one has ever taken one of mine but I have friends who aren't as fortunate. Nearly all of us do.

About six months ago I did a post on bike thief arrests that were facilitated by LoJack, a security device hidden on the bike that sends a radio signal so police can find it when it has been stolen. There were a lot of  people who enjoyed reading that so I have another in what I intend to make an ongoing series. Mind you, I have no connection with LoJack. If someone else wants to provide me with stories of how their products lead to bike thief arrests I'll be happy to use those as well. Read and smile.

Stolen Honda CBR 1000 Leads Florida Police to Chop Shop & Marijuana Plants (FLORIDA)

On the morning of Friday, June 19, the owner of a 2007 Honda CBR 1000 discovered that his motorcycle was missing from the parking lot of his apartment complex where he had parked the previous night. He immediately contacted the Palm Bay (FL) Police Department to report the theft. After the owner reported his vehicle stolen to law enforcement, the vehicle information was entered into the NCIC police computer.  This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the motorcycle.

Approximately 30 minutes after being entered as stolen, deputies with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit picked up the silent LoJack homing signal with the LoJack Police Tracking Computer installed in their department helicopter. Using the directional and signal strength indicators on their tracking unit, they directed ground units from Palm Bay Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol to a private residence in Palm Bay. The ground units determined the signal was emanating from an enclosed trailer parked in the rear yard of the residence. After a brief investigation and obtaining a search warrant for the location they recovered the above stolen motorcycle and three other stolen motorcycles, which were in the process of being dismantled. Also in the garage were numerous parts from other motorcycles. Inside the residence, officers discovered loaded firearms including a shotgun and an AK47 along with 17 Marijuana plants. The homeowner was arrested and charged with operating a chop shop, firearms possession and cultivating Marijuana.

Recovery of Honda CBR 1000 Nets Chop Shop and Drug Bust (SOUTH CAROLINA)

On Thursday, May 7, the owner of a 2006 Honda CBR 1000 reported his motorcycle stolen to law enforcement who in turn entered the vehicle information into the NCIC police computer. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the Honda.

Shortly after being entered as stolen, officers with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina picked up the silent LoJack signal with the LoJack Police Tracking Computers installed in their cars. The Honda motorcycle was tracked to a rural residence in Kershaw County. After searching the property, the motorcycle was found inside a closed trailer. Three other stolen motorcycles were identified along with two stolen trailers. Officers also found cocaine and Marijuana in the house.

Stolen Suzuki Located in Public Storage Facility (ILLINOIS)

On Friday, June 12, the owner of a 2007 Suzuki motorcycle discovered that it had been stolen. He contacted the Chicago Police Department who in turn entered the vehicle information into the NCIC police computer. Subsequently, a Cook County Sheriff’s officer on routine patrol picked up the distress signal from the stolen bike. The officer followed the distress signal to a public storage facility in Hanover Park, IL. It was determined that the motorcycle was in a locked rental locker. The officers had the management contact the renter and request that he come to the location. Shortly thereafter the renter arrived driving another motorcycle. He was stopped and detained. He opened the locker and the officers discovered that there were two motorcycles in the locker, both of which had been reported stolen. Only one of the motorcycles had a LoJack System on it. The motorcycle the suspect arrived on was also confiscated because of some suspicion that it was also stolen.

Thieves Arrested for Transporting Stolen Bike in Minivan (WASHINGTON)

In the early hours of Monday, June 15, an Early Warning alert from LoJack notified the owner of a 2005 Honda CBR 600 that it was moving and likely stolen from his apartment complex parking area in Kirkland, Washington. After verifying the bike was indeed stolen, the crime was reported to the Kirkland Police Department who entered the VIN into the NCIC police computer. This routine police action automatically activated the LoJack transponder concealed in the motorcycle.

Just three minutes after entry and activation of the LoJack transponder, a nearby officer with the Lynnwood Police Department equipped with a LoJack Tracking Computer received the signal transmitting from the stolen motorcycle. The signal strength and directional arrows on the PTCs indicated the motorcycle was stored inside a minivan that was in his sight. The van was stopped by multiple police units and four suspects were taken into custody. One was booked into jail and the others were released pending further investigation. The owner of the minivan, who lives in Lake Forest Park, was contacted. He told the Lynnwood officers that his van was stolen from his residence and he was not aware of it until the police called him. The motorcycle had minor scratches, but no other obvious damage.

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