Growing premium dealer group delivers peace of mind as keyless vehicle thefts increase

Hendy, the AM100 car retail group with locations across the South Coast of England, is to offer its customers the option of having a Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) device from Tracker fitted to their vehicle.

As a reseller of the Tracker stolen vehicle recovery products, Hendy will now offer buyers of new or used cars, vans and trucks at any of its dealerships, the option of a professionally fitted, Thatcham approved, market-leading Tracker device, to protect their vehicle in the event it is stolen.

Bringing Tracker to Hendy

“Since opening its doors in 1859, Hendy has been determined to provide every customer with a premium experience,” commented Mark Busby, Commercial Director for Hendy. “It is our vision to deliver 100% customer and colleague satisfaction, and that is not limited to selling them the right car or van – we are committed to providing ongoing customer service and care to keep our customers on the road. Until now, that included servicing and MOT, breakdown assistance and repairs, Motability and business solutions, as well as a range of finance and insurance options.

“We are delighted to now be partnering with Tracker so we can help our customers use the best technology available to protect their vehicle against the increasing risk of theft.  Our customers can today enjoy their new car or commercial vehicle without worrying about the consequences of it being stolen.”

The risk to car owners

High value prestige vehicles are always hot targets for thieves, but lower value used cars and vans are also at risk. Despite 2020 seeing a reduction in car theft* as a result of pandemic lockdowns, Tracker still recovered over £9 million worth of stolen vehicles. 93% of those vehicles were taken by keyless theft – when criminals exploit keyless technology to unlock and start vehicles, rather than having to steal the owner’s car keys to drive the vehicle away. This figure has nudged up from 92% in 2019 but represents a worrying 27% increase in the last 5 years. Locking a car is not enough to protect it against experienced, professional criminals, and this partnership aims to help reunite drivers with their vehicles if they are taken.

Tracker’s unique combination of VHF with GPS/GSM technology makes its units resistant to GPS/GSM jamming and enables the police to pinpoint a stolen vehicle if it is hidden in a container or lock-up.  This makes it particularly valuable for detecting stolen vehicles hidden in containers at major UK seaports. The Tracker Mesh network has also been instrumental in locating stolen vehicles. When a vehicle fitted with a Tracker unit passes any Tracker equipped vehicle that has been reported stolen, the unique Mesh Network automatically sends a signal to Tracker’s Head Quarters and the police, providing the location of the stolen asset.

Mark Busby continued: “With its close and unique working relationship with Police forces nationwide, and market-leading VHF technology, Tracker is a trusted brand that we knew would support our values of honesty, quality, care and customer service. Helping to protect our customers against the risk of theft is an important part of this, increasing customer loyalty, retention, and revenue opportunities across our network.”

Mark Rose, Managing Director for Tracker added, “The last thing anyone wants when they have bought a new or used vehicle is to have it stolen, with little hope of getting it back. When other security measures are not enough to deter a determined thief, a Tracker with VHF capability is invaluable in helping the police locate and return the vehicle. Working together, Tracker and the police have recovered over £560 million worth of stolen vehicles, made 2,783 arrests from cars fitted with Tracker products and continue to recover on average £1 million worth of stolen vehicles each month.

“Hendy is offering its customers a valuable tool to protect them from future losses, downtime and increased insurance premiums, whilst also helping dealers to navigate a challenging market by adding a new revenue stream and boost retention.”

*Analysis of 2019 vs 2020 Tracker stolen vehicle recovery data.