Opportunity lifestyle thiefs steal keys and vehicle
Car drivers need to protect themselves from ‘lifestyle criminals’. This latest brand of thief monitors an individual’s movements, waiting for a moment to swipe their keys and drive away in their car.
Mrs Vicky Smith knows all too well how easy it is to fall prey to such a crime, but luckily her car was recovered after the Tracker device fitted inside was activated. Vicky, from Leicestershire, had her car stolen from outside the stables where she keeps her horse and her son’s pony. She goes to the stables every day, but on this occasion, she noticed a car had pulled up at the gateway. After a while it drove off so, thinking nothing of it, she carried on as usual. She left her handbag in the feed room, while she was in another room with the radio on. The next minute she heard her engine start. She tried in vain to stop the criminals but watched in despair as her luxury 4x4 was driven away.
“I’m so glad I had Tracker fitted because my car was recovered the day after the device was activated,” explains Vicky. “I can’t believe the thieves followed me in order to steal my car. It just shows that you can’t be too careful with your belongings. It was a worrying 24 hours and without Tracker, my car would probably still be missing.”
Stuart Chapman, Police Relationships Manager for Tracker, comments, “Vicky’s experience is a clear example of how criminals will follow an individual to seize an opportunity to steal their keys and their vehicle. Luckily, Vicky had Tracker fitted, but her story shows that it only takes a moment for thieves to grab a set of keys. We urge people to protect their bags and keys at all times, as criminals continue to develop more sophisticated ways to steal vehicles. Don’t give thieves a free ride and hold onto your keys.”
Tracker stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around your vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. The tracking device works even if the vehicle is hidden in a garage or taken abroad, offering car owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.
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