ENCINITAS, Calif. -- Patty Lin's workout at an Encinitas 24 Hour Fitness would turn her whole day upside down when she realized someone had gone through her locker.

"I thought I'd get in for about 30 to 40 minutes and run out. The keys were gone, and I ran out to the parking lot and my van was gone," said Lin.

Lin said she didn't panic because she had the LoJack theft-tracking device installed on her van.

"Once the system is activated, they should be able to find the car in an hour; that's what they say when you buy LoJack," said Lin.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said that is not exactly the case. Det. Steven Ashkar told 10News, "There has to be a LoJack-equipped law enforcement vehicle within range to track it … not every car has LoJack."

From the time Lin's van was taken from the parking lot until it was recovered about five hours later, Lin said the thieves went on a $2,000 shopping spree with her credit card she had locked inside.

"The credit card company said they first went to Radio Shack in Del Mar," said Lin.

Lin said she and her husband were just a step behind.

"She was confronted by the employee that she did not look like my ID. She got belligerent and they let here go with the product," said Lin.

Lin said more than four hours went by before LoJack was activated and another hour before it was found.

Ashkar said, "Five hours from the time it was taken to the time it was found is great."

For Lin, it wasn't good news. She lost thousands of dollars and feels she wasted hundreds more on the system.