CANTON, Mass., Oct. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In preparation for Halloween, the most popular holiday for vehicle theft, LoJack Corporation (NASDAQ: LOJN) has announced tips for car owners to protect their vehicles. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau*, more than 2,300 vehicles were stolen on Halloween in 2011 (latest available data) – making it the most popular holiday for auto thieves and the scariest day of the year for car owners looking to protect their valuable assets.
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LoJack encourages drivers to not become a victim of auto theft this Halloween season by protecting your property and adhering to the following safety tips for vehicle protection:
- Ward off "evil spirits": Thieves often seek the "easiest" target – alarms or anti-theft devices can help ward off criminals
- Treat your keys like candy – never leave them unattended: Even if you are idling while the kids collect candy, never leave a key or key fob in the vehicle and always lock car doors and windows
- Are you afraid of the dark?: A flashlight may help around the neighborhood on Halloween, but it won't help your car. Park in busy, well lit areas to deter thieves from doing their dirty work
- Don't let your house be haunted by 'Tricksters': Never program your home address as "home" in your GPS – it's an easy way for a thief to find your house and gain access to it
- Protect your Halloween 'Treats': Hide all valuables, as they entice thieves to take your car — and what's inside
The company also announced its Spookiest Auto Theft Recovery Stories for 2013, which are featured on the company's Auto Theft Blog:
1. American 'Classic Car' Horror Story. Imagine how scary it would be to step outside and find out that your beautiful 1966 Ford Mustang convertible was missing. Well, that's what happened to a Mustang owner in California earlier this year. Luckily, a LoJack® System was installed – and helped get the car back. It was the second time this year that the LoJack System had helped recover the vehicle!
2. The Modern Day Margaret and Carrie White. You think your family might be crazy spooky sometimes? Check out the link to this rather insane story from Massachusetts, in which a LoJack System helped bust this mother-daughter criminal twosome.
3. The Not-So-Invisible Man. This is a case of so-stupid-it's-scary. In this story, the LoJack System helped authorities recover a 2008 Scion XB; the vehicle was recovered intact, and a male suspect in the theft was soon identified – because he inadvertently left his identification in the stolen vehicle!
4. Breaking Bad Gone…Bad. While police in Southern California used the LoJack System to track down and recover a stolen Melroe Bobcat Skid Steer, they stumbled upon something a LOT more insidious. Authorities entered the junk salvage yard where the Skid Steer was held and found 49 large bundles of marijuana (weighing approx. 600 lbs.), methamphetamine, a loaded .44 caliber hand gun and several shotguns; police arrested several individuals in the salvage yard. One suspect admitted that he had purchased the stolen Bobcat for $2,000, and had also stolen a van with the marijuana inside.
"Each year, we see a tremendous amount of vehicle theft on Halloween," said Patrick Clancy, Vice President of LoJack's Law Enforcement Division. "Auto theft on Halloween isn't just a case of kids joy riding anymore, but rather sophisticated criminals whose sole purpose is to find new ways to elude authorities and profit from the theft of stolen vehicles. That is why LoJack is working with law enforcement agencies across the country to help prevent auto thefts and promote safe driving habits, not just on Halloween, but every day."
The LoJack® Stolen Vehicle Recovery System is directly integrated with and used by police, through Radio Frequency technology — which has proven to be optimal for stolen vehicle recovery as it can track vehicles hidden in steal shipping containers, concrete garages or dense foliage — and are covert because it is difficult to find and disengage the system.
How the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System Works
The LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System offers the technology and recovery process that make it an effective system for recovering stolen vehicles. Based on Radio Frequency technology, the system delivers strong signals that do not require line of sight with satellites or cell towers and can therefore track vehicles where other devices can't, such as in a steel container on a ship, in a parking garage or in dense foliage. The LoJack® System is also directly integrated with law enforcement agencies around the country, which use LoJack Police Tracking Computers to find and recover stolen vehicles. Lastly, the system utilizes a small wireless Radio Frequency transceiver—now self-powered—that is highly covert, making it very difficult for thieves to find and disengage the system.
About LoJack Corporation
LoJack Corporation, the company that has helped more than nine million people protect their vehicles in the event of theft over the past 25+ years, today provides safety, security and protection for an ever-growing range of valuable assets and people. Leveraging its core strengths, including its well-known brand, direct integration with law enforcement and dealer distribution network, LoJack Corporation is expanding into new areas across the continuum from theft deterrence to recovery. The Company is focusing on creating a new level of value for its dealer, customer and investor communities by delivering innovative offerings and multiple technologies in expanding geographies. For more information, visit www.lojack.com, www.autotheftblog.com, www.youtube.com/lojack, www.twitter.com/LoJackCorp or www.Facebook.com/LoJackCorp.
*2011 National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Holiday Vehicle Theft Report
© 2013 LoJack Corporation. All rights reserved. LoJack and the LoJack logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of LoJack Corporation in the United States and other countries.
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