GPS Units Help Thieves Find Jackpot
Friday July 25, 2008
When you go out shopping, or to a baseball game, or wherever, odds are fair that you lock your car doors when you leave. You probably want to protect your stereo system, or the CD collection you have in the vehicle. Maybe you left an expensive camera or even a laptop computer in your car. What you may not realize is that the most valuable thing in the vehicle from a thief's perspective may be your portable GPS unit. Most people have their home address pre-programmed into their GPS unit so they can 'return to base' from wherever their travels may take them. Thieves are starting to realize that they can target upscale looking victims in upscale looking cars, and rather than walking away with the camera and/or laptop from the back seat of the vehicle they can take the portable GPS that will lead them straight to the home of the victim and the motherlode of stolen treasure. Next time you leave your car, you may want to take that portable GPS off of your windshield and stash it in the glove compartment, or carry it with you if its portable enough.
Comments
Interesting development. But here in California, the vehicle registration papers typically include the mailing address, which I imagine for most people is their home address. Since we may need to show the vehicle registration to a law enforcement officer or in the event of an accident, probably most of us keep the paperwork in the glove box. So if a thief really wanted to find the home address…
My dad had his GPS stolen. However, our house does not contain very much valuable content, so we don’t have much to worry about
This is a good idea. Theives look for the fastest way to make money. Why look through the glove box when everything is on the GPS. Its faster and with less chance at being caught. Another comment would be you may think that you have nothing a theif wants but the theif may have other ideas. Keep yourself safe at all times.