I'm sure this isn't the first car that Toyota has retrieved for an owner using the Safety Connect system, but it's the first that I've heard or read about. Now if only Toyota would be willing to retrofit Safety Connect into "early adopter" owners who bought their Prius before September (when Safety Connect started being installed in the factory)...
R2Pre2's forum post is below:
On Friday 11/6, I picked up my new Blizzard Pearl V-ATP from the dealer. In the middle of the night, someone STOLE it, and I didn't hear a thing!
I inadvertently/mistakenly/stupidly left the second fob in the cup holder of our minivan, which was parked in the driveway next to the new Prius. The thieves broke into the minivan, took the fob and silently drove off with my R2Pre2. 8:30 Sat morning, my husband yells "your new car is missing - call the 911!" My second call was to the dealership to activate the GPS tracking feature on the SOS system. The police report was done by 9:30, the car registered with SOS by 9:45.
At 10:15, SOS called saying my car was in their system and that they had activated the tracking beacon, then the operator said "...oh, we just located it. We're contacting the police right now and they will contact you with it's location." Fifteen minutes later, at 10:30, the police called saying the car would be towed.
Fearing the worst, I had dispatch patch me through to the on-site officer who said "why don't you just come down and drive it away?" We rushed to the car's location, in an unsavory part of town of course, and there was R2Pre2 parked nicely at the curb and not a scratch on it! Of course the fob was not there - bummer. The officer checked it out then had me sign the form clearing the car from "stolen" status. He never had a stolen car recovered that fast and *never* without damage.
So, in less than 24 hrs, I got the car, lost the car, got the car back. And I have SOS to thank for finding it for me! From registering to finding the car took less than 2 hrs. You gotta love that!
The car needs to be re-keyed and a new fob ordered, but I consider it a small price to pay for my stupid mistake. We are using the minivan to barricade the Prius in the driveway until the parts are in, cause it would be just too freaky for the thief to use the fob to steal the car again. My husband says I'm grounded and that only he can drive the car for a week.
Take away = guard your fobs + register your new car. Take advantage of the free 1st year!
