OnStar Helps Dallas Police Catch Band of Carjackers
The GPS tracking system helped officers locate the stolen car and the perpetrators.
OnStar, the in-vehicle safety and security system backed by humans, helped police in Dallas catch six teenagers allegedly involved in a crime spree.
A news report by WFAA shows a video of the group of teenagers jumping out of a Chevy Malibu and allegedly robbing a Dallas couple at gunpoint.
Jesus Najera was the first victim of the four alleged robberies conducted by the gang of teenagers. Najera was parked in his car, a black Chevy Malibu, outside of his apartment building and suddenly realized he was surrounded, according to WFAA.
"He just came with a shotgun and he said, 'Okay, it's going to go down, you're going to give me your car," said Najera. "Another one came behind me and put a gun behind my back and said, 'Okay, you're going to give me your phone and your wallet.'"
Najera gave up his wallet, keys and cell phone. But what the group had not taken into account was that Najera's car was protected with OnStar, which monitors vehicles with a GPS tracking device.
OnStar notified Dallas police of the cars whereabouts as it made its way towards Mesquite, Texas. Then when the vehicle sped up to 70 miles an hour, OnStar slowed the car down so that it only went three to five miles an hour. This was after getting police approval.
Once the car slowed down, police where able to apprehend the six teenagers.
The estimated cost of damages to the Malibu is said to be approximately $4,000.