Carjacking Victim Uses Smartphone App To Locate Stolen Car
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- A pizza delivery man was carjacked but used his smartphone app to help police track down his stolen car.
The Lexus was stolen just after midnight Thursday in the 4100 block of S. Spruce in Denver when the suspects allegedly ordered a pizza, but took the delivery man's car instead.
Police officers showed up to the address and interviewed the man who lives there.
"The first thing the police officer said to me was, 'Did you order a pizza?," said John Friedman.
Police believe Friedman was not involved but the thieves needed an address to order the pizza delivery.
"I'm just guessing that it might be a scam where someone tries to find a real address to set up this scheme," said Denver Police Department spokesman Sonny Jackson.
Less than six hours later the victim called police to tell them he was tracking his car through his cell phone that was still in the car.
The smartphone app acts as a homing beacon zeroing in to the phone inside the stolen car.
"He did a good job of being his own detective and helping us locate where that car was," said Jackson.
Police found the vehicle in a parking lot right across the street from Lakewood Police Headquarters during morning roll call. Three men inside the car tried to escape by running away.
Police used a taser on one of the suspects. All three were arrested. Police have not released the suspect's names because they are investigating whether they could be connected to other robberies.
"Whenever you have something like this happen you wonder are these individuals involved in any other crimes?" said Jackson.
