Ex-police officer hopes device he invented, Top Kontrol, curbs carjackings

MINNEAPOLIS -- A former police officer believes he can help bring carjackings down across the country.

Kao Lee invented a device called Top Kontrol. He said it can prevent theft while also keeping car owners safe.  

"So far, so good. It's built for confidence and convenience," Lee said.

It's how describes his invention, Top Kontrol, an anti-theft and anti-carjacking device. With the help of his business partner, Ken Salway, they're eager to show vehicle owners how it works.

"What it does during the process of a carjacking is it will shut the car down," Salway said.

Salway said if the doors open while the car is running, the Top Kontrol device assumes a carjacking is taking place.

The thief can drive the vehicle for about 15 seconds before it shuts down and an alarm goes off. That 15 seconds is designed to create space between the victim and the thief.

"If you get carjacked, nine out of 10 times there is a gun involved, so you don't want them to be anywhere near you once they get in the car and go," said Salway.

If you open your door while your vehicle is running, you can shut the device off before it goes off. That's done by hitting a switch inside the vehicle, a switch that's hidden so only the driver knows where it is.

" I think technology holds the answer to a lot of this," said Elliot Faust, inspector with Brooklyn Park Police.

Faust said he's encouraged by technology like this, and hopes vehicle owners will explore options that work for them.

"Safety is number one on people's minds these days, and people don't want to think about their car driving away without them in it," said Faust.

Creators said Top Kontrol also works for ATVs and snowmobiles. It costs just under $450.