GPS in the car - a tool for thieves (Personal Security)

By Phil Spitze on January 14, 2010 10:59 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
 

No one will dispute how convenient, helpful, and mostly accurate a GPS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gps) in your car is to navigate around new and familiar places.  Some theives, however, have figured out a way to exploit this otherwise well-intentioned gadget.

The information below was forwarded to me, so I am unsure of the original author.

A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a [youth] football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.

When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.

The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

 

This story relates a horrifying prospect for anyone to consider.  Is it really that easy?  A couple of tips I have to prevent this from happening to you:

  • Lock your GPS in the glove box when not in use.
  • Avoid using the Home button for your home address. Instead, program your local police station's address.
  • To find your way home, program a Point of Interest or Waypoint called something like "Coffee" with your home address.
  • Ditch the GPS and use a map - they are often more accurate.
  • Even if your garage door has a locking function, lock your deadbolt as well.

Stay safe out there!

-Phil Spitze
Network Manager

 

 

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