WESTWOOD, Mass., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LoJack Corporation , the leading provider of recovery systems for motorcycles, cars, trucks and construction equipment, today released the results of an online "Fitness Test" geared to gauge the risk of theft for motorcycle enthusiasts. The online survey, a part of LoJack's ongoing education initiative with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), revealed that a full 67 percent of motorcycle owners who responded to the survey are at a high risk for theft. More than 1,800 respondents participated in the 10-question Motorcycle Theft Prevention Fitness Test on the LoJack website during the months of July and August 2007.
The Fitness Test revealed that the majority of respondents were at a high risk for theft because they are not taking necessary precautions, such as securing their bike to an immovable object when parked in a lot or garage, and arming their bikes with theft deterrents (alarms, kill switches, etc.) and recovery systems. Respondents did score well, however, when it came to applying good common sense theft protection measures, such as parking in a concealed area at home, parking in a well lit area in a garage/parking lot, and never leaving keys on the their parked bike.
The survey results come at a time when motorcycle theft rates are on the rise. According to the most recent figures by the NICB, 71,523 motorcycles were stolen in 2006. Motorcycle theft has risen a full 137 percent since the year 2000.
"As this survey showed, motorcycle owners need to step up their theft protection measures in order to keep their bikes safe," said Patrick Clancy, Vice President of Law Enforcement, LoJack Corporation. "Unfortunately, using good common sense is not enough to protect bikes from today's clever thieves, who typically know just which bikes they want and how to steal them. Because of that, bike owners need layers of protection that include using good common sense, equipping their bike with theft deterrents like an alarm system and protecting their bike with a recovery system so they can get it back if it's ever stolen."
How LoJack For Motorcycles Works
LoJack For Motorcycles features the core strengths that over the past 20+ years have made LoJack's flagship Stolen Vehicle Recovery System such a successful solution to the serious problem of vehicle theft. The product is directly integrated into law enforcement agencies in LoJack markets, is based on LoJack's tried-and-true Radio Frequency technology, and is hidden on the bike so that thieves would not suspect the device exists and, therefore, would not attempt to find and disengage it. Taken together, these strengths enable LoJack to deliver highly effective, proven recovery systems.
The LoJack/NICB Education Initiative
In June of this year, LoJack and NICB, two nationally recognized authorities on vehicle theft and theft prevention, launched a joint education initiative called the Vehicle Theft Protection Program to help owners of motorcycles, cars, construction equipment and commercial vehicles better understand how to protect their assets from theft. The two organizations began their initiative by designating July, the highest vehicle theft month of the year, as National Vehicle Theft Protection Month.
Also, LoJack and NICB have developed a booklet entitled "Get in the Know" that details the steps owners can take to protect their motorcycles -- as well as other vehicles -- from theft. The booklet is available on each organization's website. To access the material from LoJack, visit LoJack's Knowledge Center at http://www.lojack.com/theftfacts. To access the information from the NICB website, go to http://www.nicb.org/ and click on "Theft & Fraud Awareness." Additional theft protection information is available on both sites.
About LoJack Corporation
LoJack Corporation, the company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery market two decades ago, is the undisputed global leader in recovering valuable mobile assets. The company's time-tested system is optimized for recovering stolen mobile assets through its proven Radio Frequency technology and unique integration with law enforcement agencies in the United States that use LoJack's in-vehicle tracking equipment to recover cars, trucks, commercial vehicles, construction equipment and motorcycles. The company's Stolen Vehicle Recovery System delivers a better than 90 percent success rate for cars and trucks and has helped recover more than $4 billion in stolen LoJack- equipped assets worldwide. Today LoJack operates in 26 states and the District of Columbia, and in 32 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
CONTACT:
Paul McMahon Jeanne Bock Laura Feng
LoJack Corp. Tier One Partners Tier One Partners
781-251-4130 781-861-5249 978-975-1414
LoJack Corporation
