Local News in Brief : Stolen-Car Tracking System Advances
An innovative stolen-car tracking system that state legislators refused to approve for Los Angeles last year could be in place by the end of the year under a plan approved by the Police Commission.
The commission recommended Tuesday that the City Council agree to a proposed contract under which LoJack Corp. would lease patented, high-tech equipment to the city for five years at no charge and then transfer ownership to the city, officials said. The agreement would amount to a gift of the $1.4-million system to the city.
If approved, any Los Angeles driver could buy and install a $600 transmitter that could be tracked by police computers if the vehicle were stolen. Police helicopters and about 300 patrol cars would be equipped with the small computers.
The system, which police officials said could be expanded statewide, is modeled after one begun in Massachusetts in 1986 that has led to recovery of 98% of LoJack-equipped cars in an average of 90 minutes, Massachusetts state police said.
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