Volkswagen Refuses to Track Carjacked SUV with Infant Inside Over Unpaid Bill
(MENAFN) A mother in Illinois had her car stolen earlier this month, with her infant son still in the back seat. Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office contacted the automaker, Volkswagen, to use its crash-response system to locate the stolen 2021 Volkswagen Atlas via GPS. However, the automaker declined to help, citing an unpaid bill by the mother.
According to law enforcement officials, the 34-year-old mother reported the theft to the sheriff's office on February 23. Detectives immediately contacted Car-Net, the automatic crash response system on the vehicle, to quickly track down the stolen car with the infant still inside. But Volkswagen Car-Net refused to help until the mother paid an outstanding bill to reactivate the tracking device.
The sheriff's office posted a report on Facebook, stating that there was a delay in tracking the car due to Volkswagen's refusal to help. The report mentioned that the car company would not track the vehicle with the abducted child until they received payment to reactivate the tracking device. Detectives also told the Chicago Sun-Times that Volkswagen Car-Net demanded $150 to restart the service, citing the mother's failure to make a recent payment.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many criticizing Volkswagen for prioritizing payment over the safety of the child. In response to the backlash, Volkswagen issued a statement expressing its concern for the mother and the child and promising to look into the matter. The statement also emphasized the importance of paying for the subscription service to keep the tracking feature active.
The carjackers eventually abandoned the car a few miles away, leaving the baby unharmed. The suspects were later arrested and charged with numerous crimes, including kidnapping and aggravated battery.
According to law enforcement officials, the 34-year-old mother reported the theft to the sheriff's office on February 23. Detectives immediately contacted Car-Net, the automatic crash response system on the vehicle, to quickly track down the stolen car with the infant still inside. But Volkswagen Car-Net refused to help until the mother paid an outstanding bill to reactivate the tracking device.
The sheriff's office posted a report on Facebook, stating that there was a delay in tracking the car due to Volkswagen's refusal to help. The report mentioned that the car company would not track the vehicle with the abducted child until they received payment to reactivate the tracking device. Detectives also told the Chicago Sun-Times that Volkswagen Car-Net demanded $150 to restart the service, citing the mother's failure to make a recent payment.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many criticizing Volkswagen for prioritizing payment over the safety of the child. In response to the backlash, Volkswagen issued a statement expressing its concern for the mother and the child and promising to look into the matter. The statement also emphasized the importance of paying for the subscription service to keep the tracking feature active.
The carjackers eventually abandoned the car a few miles away, leaving the baby unharmed. The suspects were later arrested and charged with numerous crimes, including kidnapping and aggravated battery.
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