DETROIT – OnStar advisors typically assist in the recovery of more than 500 stolen General Motors’ vehicles each month, but helping to recover a competitor’s stolen vehicle is a new undertaking.
On Sunday, Dec. 18, OnStar subscriber Jean Franklin of Gresham, Ore., used OnStar to help facilitate the recovery of her stolen 2006 Chrysler 300. Franklin had purchased OnStar FMV, the company’s new aftermarket system, just two days before the incident.
OnStar FMV, or For My Vehicle, comes standard with Stolen Vehicle Assistance, a security feature that allows OnStar Advisors to use the product’s internal GPS to pinpoint the location of a stolen vehicle that has been reported to authorities.
“The stolen vehicle feature is the reason I purchased [OnStar FMV],” said Franklin. “My car had been stolen before, so the police recommended I get it. I am much more comfortable now that the car has OnStar.”
Franklin called OnStar to report her stolen vehicle around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. After OnStar provided the Gresham Police Department with the vehicle’s location, officers were able to pull over the car and had the suspect in custody within 64 minutes of the original call.
“OnStar was crucial to recovering the vehicle,” said Aaron Turnage, a Gresham Police Department officer who worked with OnStar to obtain the vehicle’s location. “Without OnStar we probably would have recovered it, but who knows what condition it may have been in. OnStar helped get the vehicle recovered almost immediately and it was completely unharmed.”
Vehicle thefts have been a problem in Gresham. The FBI’s Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report reported nearly a 27-percent jump in motor vehicle thefts there over the past year. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, winter is popular for vehicle thefts, with thefts on New Year’s Day leading the 11 major holidays.
OnStar Advisors have offered Stolen Vehicle Assistance services more than 58,000 times in the company’s history.
“OnStar’s Stolen Vehicle Assistance feature has proved remarkably effective through the years at reuniting owners with stolen vehicles,” said Nick Pudar, OnStar vice president, Business Planning and Development. “The important thing is helping get stolen cars recovered, whether that is a Chrysler, Ford, Toyota or any other make.”
OnStar FMV packs the core features of OnStar into a rearview mirror that can be installed in more than 90 million vehicles on the road. With an instant rebate that runs through December 31, OnStar FMV currently sells for $199 plus installation. Service plans for OnStar FMV start at $18.95 a month, or $199 a year.
About OnStar
OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading provider of connected safety and security solutions, value-added mobility services and advanced information technology. Available on more than 40 MY 2011 GM models, OnStar is now also available for installation on most other vehicles on the road through a new retail product called OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle). OnStar FMV has been awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal. The OnStar RemoteLink Mobile App is a recipient of the 2011 Edison Award for Best New Product in the Remote Driving Aids segment. OnStar safely connects its more than six million customers, in the U.S., Canada and China, in ways never thought possible. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.
