Boomerang Tracking & Lojack Corp. introduce new ESPION system
Multi-layered Solution Now Features Highly Effective Radio Frequency Technology and Direct Integration with Police
Boomerang Tracking, Canada’s leader in stolen vehicle recovery, and LoJack Corporation, the company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery category 25 years ago, today announced a new, enhanced ESPION system that integrates LoJack’s highly effective Radio Frequency technology. ESPION Powered by LoJack is a powerful, multi-dimensional theft protection solution that will be available for vehicle owners in Quebec starting in June 2011.
The original ESPION system, launched in 2006, combined theft prevention and vehicle recovery and included a visual theft deterrent along with tracking technology. The new system, which is self-powered, incorporates LoJack’s time-tested Radio Frequency technology and dedicated wireless networks in Canada and the U.S. ESPION Powered by LoJack enables a vehicle to be tracked even in places where criminals typically attempt to hide a stolen vehicle from tracking signals such as urban areas with tall buildings, tunnels, garages, dense woods, and steel containers. Being self-powered enables greater flexibility for the installation of an ESPION unit, as it operates independently from the vehicle’s electrical system. If thieves attempt to disable the vehicle’s electrical system, the recovery system will continue to fully function.
The line of ESPION Powered by LoJack products includes:
• ESPION, which is designed for every type of vehicle owner, combines proven theft prevention and deterrence capabilities along with multiple recovery devices
• ESPION Alert offers the same capabilities as the Espion system, as well as an added notification system that electronically warns a vehicle owner by e-mail, automated phone call or text message if their vehicle moves without authorization
• ESPION Alert Plus features the core components of the Espion system, plus additional recovery devices and personalized notification by Boomerang Security Central to a vehicle owner if the vehicle moves without authorization
In the event that an ESPION Powered by LoJack-equipped vehicle is stolen, it now can be tracked by local police departments as well as by Boomerang’s Security recovery teams. The first department to work directly with Boomerang is the Richelieu-Saint-Laurent Intermunicipal Police Board in the Richelieu Valley (Régie intermunicipale de police Richelieu/Saint-Laurent), an agency that encompasses 17 municipalities in the Montérégie region of Quebec. Boomerang Tracking is in the process of rolling out its advanced tracking computers, training and support to other law enforcement agencies in Quebec – all at no cost to the agencies.
“The technology that Boomerang Tracking offers for law enforcement is a great help in the fight against vehicle theft. The tracking computers that have been installed in our police vehicles are not only simple to use and efficient, but will also help us effectively recover stolen vehicles and dismantle criminal networks,” said François Bigras, director of the Richelieu/Saint-Laurent Intermunicipal Police Board. “Thanks to this technology, vehicle owners living in and visiting Richelieu-Saint-Laurent will feel safer.”
The original ESPION system is a proven theft solution with a better than 50 percent reduction in instance of theft and has a 90+ percent recovery rate in Quebec. Now with Radio Frequency technology, direct integration with law enforcement in Canada and the U.S., and electronic automatic theft notification features, the new ESPION product line provides even more unparalleled vehicle protection.
One Theft Every Five Minutes
Vehicle theft remains a huge problem in Canada, particularly in Quebec. In 2009, according to the latest Statistics Canada figures, police forces across Canada reported approximately 108,000 motor vehicle thefts, an average of about 300 stolen vehicles per day. That translates to one theft every five minutes with a cost to Canadian citizens of approximately $1 billion a year. Even more alarming, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reports that two out of every three vehicles stolen in the Montreal area are never recovered. This is largely due to the fact that the majority of vehicle theft is the work of professional thieves. For individuals, a stolen vehicle can trigger a deep sense of loss, as well as significant levels of stress and inconvenience.
“Vehicle theft is an expensive, inconvenient, time-consuming issue that impacts drivers every day,” said Michael Lendick, National Security Director and Law Enforcement Liaison for Boomerang Tracking. “The ESPION Powered by LoJack system presents a powerful combination of theft prevention and stolen vehicle recovery. Coupled with our association with police forces, Boomerang Tracking provides the best recovery solution for vehicle owners.”
To learn more information about Boomerang Tracking and the new ESPION Powered by LoJack system, please visit the new www.lojack.ca website. In addition, a new video on how ESPION works is now available on the Boomerang YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/boomerangtracking.
About Boomerang Tracking Inc.
Founded in 1995, Boomerang Tracking Inc. has become a technological leader in tracking stolen property and offers a seamless solution to the ever-growing concern for the protection and recovery of stolen vehicles and other valuable assets in Canada. Boomerang Tracking has helped recover more than 7,060 vehicles and other assets with an approximate value of $350 million. The company and its trained recovery teams work closely with local law-enforcement agencies. Its assistance has also led police to make over 500 arrests in the past five years. In 2004, Boomerang became a wholly owned subsidiary of LoJack Corporation (NASDAQ:LOJN), the company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery market two decades ago and today remains the undisputed global leader in tracking and recovering valuable mobile assets in more than 30 countries worldwide. The tracking technology is used by insurance companies worldwide. Since 1986, LoJack has recovered more than 300,000 vehicles worth a total value of nearly $4 billion. Boomerang Tracking and LoJack are pleased to launch the new ESPION family of products in Quebec. All ESPION products are based on the LoJack technology and operate within the LoJack stolen vehicle recovery network.
