Suspects arrested 110 miles from the theft location
Tracker Network UK Limited, worked with police to locate and recover a stolen Toyota RAV4 worth £26,000 just three hours after the theft was reported. Despite the thieves using four active GPS jamming devices, Tracker’s proven VHF technology enabled the police to swiftly track and successfully recover the vehicle.
Reported stolen from Hayes, West London, the Toyota RAV4 was quickly traced after the Tracker device was activated. Using Trackers unique combination of GPS/GSM and VHF technology, together with its innovative Mesh Network, the stolen vehicle was first detected near Southampton and Hampshire police were alerted.
Although the thieves quickly moved the vehicle through Avon and Somerset before heading into Wiltshire, police were able to stay one step ahead, intercepting the Toyota RAV4 and another stolen vehicle in convoy. Both vehicles were fitted with false number plates, preventing Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) from identifying the vehicles. The drivers of the stolen cars were arrested and have since been charged in connection with the theft of the vehicles.
Many vehicle tracking systems rely solely on GPS and GSM technology, both of which can often be disrupted by signal jammers, such as those used in this case. Tracker’s integrated VHF capability, however, continued to operate effectively, allowing police to maintain visibility of the stolen vehicle. Tracker’s Mesh Network also played a crucial role in the recovery. When a stolen vehicle fitted with a Tracker unit passes another Tracker-equipped vehicle, the Mesh Network automatically and silently relays the stolen vehicle’s location to Tracker’s headquarters and the police, even when GPS signals are being blocked.
“The thieves clearly thought they had outsmarted the system,” commented Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison at Tracker. “What they hadn’t anticipated was Tracker’s resilient VHF technology and the added intelligence provided by our Mesh Network.
“While the thieves travelled more than 110 miles in the stolen Toyota RAV4, police continued receiving live location updates as the vehicle passed other Tracker-equipped vehicles. This allowed officers to position themselves ahead of the suspects, ultimately leading to their arrest.”
Tracker’s SVR devices operate like electronic homing devices, with a covert transmitter hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. With no visible aerial, the technology remains undetectable. The VHF signal can penetrate concrete and metal shipping containers to reveal a hidden vehicle’s location.
Tracker remains the only SVR provider supported nationwide by all UK police forces who track, locate and recover stolen assets using Tracker’s unique technology. More than 2,000 police patrol vehicles and all UK police helicopters are fitted with Tracker detection units, helping recover thousands of stolen vehicles every year.
Signal jammers are already illegal to use in the UK and legislation is being introduced to make it illegal to own, sell, or purchase them. Despite this, organised criminals continue to use such devices in attempts to defeat standard vehicle security systems.
“This case highlights why motorists need more than just basic vehicle tracking protection,” added Clive Wain. “Tracker’s VHF and Mesh Network technology, combined with close police collaboration, provides a proven defence against even the most sophisticated vehicle theft techniques.”
