tracker ooops!

Author
Discussion

andysv

Original Poster:

1,350 posts

242 months

Thursday 17th November 2005
quotequote all
A good friend of mine just had a break in. Thieves got the keys to a rangie autobiography and a clk 320. Both had tracker monitor fitted. By the time the theft was reported it was a good few hours after the getaway. That was tuesday am and tracker are unable to find the cars. They have told him putting a car into a container does not block the signal, weve all heard a multi storey can possibly block it, has any one heard of this before?

TSS

1,134 posts

283 months

Thursday 17th November 2005
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A few years ago I had an Impreza Turbo. It got stolen shortly after I sold it (fortunately for me!)

It had an rather expensive tracking device on it, which didn’t work and they couldn’t find the car. I have to say I wasn’t impressed.

jared_m

252 posts

237 months

Friday 18th November 2005
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When the Tracker engineer came to fix the tracker on my 996 (it kept giving off false movement reports) I asked him about where they didn't have signals and he said in areas with lots of buildings, underground carparks and multi-story car parks the signal strength would be reduced.

When pressed about whether that meant Tracker would not be able to locate it he said 'I'm trying to be diplomatic'

andysv

Original Poster:

1,350 posts

242 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
It surprises me that insurance companies insist on a tracker monitor type rather than the retrieve. When these expensive cars get stolen it's normally with the keys and the monitor devices arent set off any way.

Nigelo

293 posts

248 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
Trackers are actuated every time you use the car remaining so for some considerable time afterwards. A theft with keys can therefore be remote monitored as soon as theft reported.

hth

chris_crossley

1,164 posts

298 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
To be fair, cars been on the back of a transporter and about 5mins later they rang me. Woooops, forgot to tell them it had broken down. So im happy with the device. Not supprised it won't work underground. How many mobile phones do?

andysv

Original Poster:

1,350 posts

242 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
theft was reported approx 3hrs later, the cars were lost without any trace, the problem i see is that most high quality cars are stolen with the keys due to sophisticated imobilisers, meaning monitor devices are often no advantage. someone needs to come up with a different signal tracker device maybe.


Nigelo said:
Trackers are actuated every time you use the car remaining so for some considerable time afterwards. A theft with keys can therefore be remote monitored as soon as theft reported.

hth

pgbj

3 posts

236 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
Don't know about you guys, but my tracker has an RF tag thing which fiendishly has no clips or anything so you cant attach it to your keys, it's like a thick credit card you just leave in your pocket. If you are not in proximity to the car when the engine is running the tracker alerts the centre. Seems to work well - as long as you dont leave it in the car...

(New to this forum. Finding it informative - thanks.)

Jonny5

3,526 posts

289 months

Friday 18th November 2005
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the 2 factor tracker echo is the only one I would consider now, having had my porsche gt3 stolen.

It has GSM, Radio, and seperate credit card which if keys stolen the car goes a safe distance away from house and shutsdown the system

nigelo

293 posts

248 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
andysv said:
theft was reported approx 3hrs later, the cars were lost without any trace, the problem i see is that most high quality cars are stolen with the keys due to sophisticated imobilisers, meaning monitor devices are often no advantage. someone needs to come up with a different signal tracker device maybe.


Andy, perhaps my point was not clear enough. Once the Control Centre have been notified they will place an alert on their system that will seek 24/7 and as soon as the vehicle is moved, they are on to it. Many vehicles have been recovered this way as the system has forced the scrotes to take and hide within a short timeframe (therefore reasonably close proximity) leaving the vehicle parked to see what happens. Just when they think they are safe ....! As long as this continues, the Insurance Companies get a high proportion of recoveries so they are satisifed. No system is 100% safe against determined pros but their efforts are being made a lot more difficult.

Personally, I keep my keys with me and never in the home unless I am physically there when other (non-car) security measures are activated. How is a card/token system going to help me? It adds nothing and therefore will not.

hth

andysv

Original Poster:

1,350 posts

242 months

Friday 18th November 2005
quotequote all
i like the sound of this gadget. how much?



Jonny5 said:

the 2 factor tracker echo is the only one I would consider now, having had my porsche gt3 stolen.

It has GSM, Radio, and seperate credit card which if keys stolen the car goes a safe distance away from house and shutsdown the system