DreamLease, the vehicle leasing and contract hire specialist, is offering valuable protection to all new car and van customers with the option of having a stolen vehicle recovery device from Tracker fitted as a value added extra.
Daniel Pass, Managing Director at DreamLease commented: “Reports of rising vehicle thefts have been ringing alarm bells for some time, but after a car was stolen from one of our customers recently, we knew it was time to make a stand against criminals and minimise the risk of future losses. Immobilisers and alarms are great deterrents, and in most cases do prevent thefts, but professional thieves have the skills to crack even the most sophisticated security systems. Decisive action was needed.”
Tracker’s latest annual theft figures demonstrate just how tech-savvy thieves have become; 92% of the vehicles the company helped police to recover last year had been stolen by crooks outsmarting key fob technology– a 26% increase on the previous year. Tracker data also showed that the most popular targets were premium vehicles including brands such as Range Rover, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – all of which are popular choices for DreamLease customers.
Daniel Pass continued: “When a company vehicle is stolen, there are a number of knock-on financial consequences. The car or van needs to be replaced, but so do any tools and equipment that were stored in the vehicle. Revenue earning jobs need to be rescheduled if they haven’t been cancelled altogether by the customer, and business reputation can be damaged which can have a long-term impact. By offering a stolen vehicle recovery solution from Tracker as an add-on to vehicles leased from us, we are providing fleet managers, company car drivers and private motorists increased peace of mind and protection against the severe impact a stolen vehicle can bring.”
Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison for Tracker said: “Premium vehicles are frequently stolen to order by organised criminal groups. The cars are often shipped abroad, predominantly to Eastern Europe and North Africa. If the car is not recovered, the loss can have a wide-reaching impact: from business disruption to the high cost of a temporary rental vehicle while a permanent replacement is sourced.
“It can also have a long-term financial impact through increased insurance premiums. With a 95% recovery rate, having a Tracker fitted helps keep insurance premiums down and also means the driver doesn’t have to wait for their insurance payout before replacing the vehicle they rely on for work and to earn a living.”
Tracker is the only SVR provider offering vehicle tracking systems that are supported nationwide by UK police forces. Tracker SVR solutions work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. The combination of VHF with GPS/GSM technology, unique to Tracker, makes its units resistant to GPS/GSM jamming, and allows the vehicle to be located even if stored underground, in a metal container, or if it is successfully shipped to Europe, confirming Tracker as a superior security defence against determined thieves.
