How a stolen car was recovered in 20 minutes

Posted in: Car Insurance, News.

How a stolen car was recovered in 20 minutes

West Midlands Police were led to the location of a stolen BMW M3 in record time, thanks to technology from TRACKER (part of Tantalum Corporation), the UK’s leading provider of stolen vehicle solutions (SVR). The signal from the TRACKER unit, installed on the stolen vehicle, brought police to a local row of private garages, helping them recover the BMW in just 20 minutes.

The owner of the BMW M3, worth over £25,000, found themselves in an alarming situation when the vehicle was taken from their home in Walsall following a burglary. Fortunately, the vehicle was fitted with a TRACKER which was activated and West Midlands Police were informed. The silent signal was picked up straight away, leading the police to the car hidden in a garage and already fitted with false number plates to disguise its true identity.

Commenting on the recovery, Adrian Davenport, Police Liaison Manager at TRACKER, said, “The owner of the BMW M3 was extremely lucky in this situation as the signal of the device was picked up immediately and the vehicle recovered in just 20 minutes. The fact that it already had false number plates on shows just how quickly thieves operate, and often steal vehicles ‘to order’, shipping them abroad to waiting customers. Without the TRACKER unit and the quick thinking of the West Midlands Police, there could have been a very different ending to this story.

“This year alone we have seen a number of vehicles that have been taken by opportunistic thieves. Luckily, by working closely with West Midlands Police we have been able to locate and recover a great deal of the vehicles and return them to their rightful owners. Individuals need to make sure they protect not just their cars but also their homes, as this customer unfortunately found out when their home was broken into and the car keys taken.”

Unlike other devices, TRACKER’s unique technology can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage or shipping container. The stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle, and there is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there.

“Once again, our close working relationship with UK police forces has helped close the net on thieves and reunite car owners with their stolen property,” concludes Adrian Davenport. “A tracking device doesn’t stop a car being stolen, but it is crucial in helping police recover and return that vehicle, as shown by this case.”

http://www.tracker.co.uk/news/press-releases/tracker-helps-police-recover-stolen-bmw-in-just-20/

Tags: BMW M3, car theft, opportunistic thieves, Police Liaison Manager, tracker, tracking device