Magnet For Thieves

by Kimberly Curth

Published: Wed, January 21, 2009 - 5:00 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, January 21, 2009 - 5:19 pm CST

That GPS system you may have gotten for Christmas could be a magnet for thieves. Mobile Police in the 4th precinct have had as many as 60 car break-ins just this month. And, those popular navigation devices were the number one item stolen. Police know who they're looking for in a large number of those burglaries, they say the suspect made a sex video on a stolen camera, and left the camera in a car he abandoned, "it was just like I said during about a 2 week span that we were just being eaten alive by the vehicle burglaries. The night that we recovered his car we've had no more and so we're fairly certain that he was responsible for the vast majority of them, but as of yet we don't know who he is," said Detective Mike Morgan. Morgan says the best way you can make sure you're not the next victim is to take valuables out of your car, lock your doors, and always make note of the make, manufacturer, serial and model number of your electronics, that way Police can track them if they're stolen.

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mobileguy48 Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 10:20 am

@BamaBob

The device knows where it is, but only that device. GPS is essentially a one-way system (as far as non-military use is concerned) wherein a device receives information from satellites and calculates its position.

Like DEW26M said, in order to know where a GPS device is located without looking at it, systems like OnStar use cellular networks to relay the GPS information. So, if you’re out of the network range, you may be able to use your GPS navigation, but if you get in a crash, OnStar won’t be able to send help.

RNuts Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 10:19 am

Out of site, out of mind. I have always kept valuables hidden and have never had a break in since I started driving 23 years ago (knock on wood).

BamaBob,

The GPS uses info that it receives from several satellites in line of sight of the receiver. It calculates your location by these signals while using a preloaded detail map of the country. It only works one-way. It does not transmit.

I went many years, even as an over the road truck driver without a gps. I prided myself on my navigating abilities. Then I found a deal on a Tom Tom at West Marine last June for $99. I kicked my self in the butt for not buying one sooner after using it on a trip to Branson. They are great and very accurate.

BamaBob Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 9:30 am

I don’t have a GPS and have never even taken a hard look at one. But, how can it give you directions, if it doesn’t know where you are?

DEW26M Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 9:02 am

RazorSharp, The code lock only works if you actually put a password in it! Easily bypassed using any Windows PC. Not to mention the fact that either way they going to bust out your window and that’s going to cost more than the GPS is worth.
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BamaBob, the GPS units only work one-way. In other words they simply acquire the signal from satellites in inner space. They do not “transmit” any signals back to those satellites. The type of GPS tracking device in which you are referring to like “ONSTAR” and “GPS Snitch” and the like make use of Cell-Phone towers and relay the received information acquired from the GPS satellites.
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For those of you who do not know, 90% of GPS units work on a hidden Windows CE operating system. There inside of your unit is a perfectly functional Windows PC. With the correct knowledge and software, you can have much more than a GPS unit. Just takes some reading, and a proper USB connector. You can install all kinds of great applications.

BamaBob Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 8:33 am

Can’t they use GPS to track down who has the GPS device?

mobileguy48 Says:

Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 7:14 am

In Europe, many, many people have GPS navigation systems, but everyone takes it out of their car when they aren’t using it.

Razorsharp Says:

Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 6:23 pm

Neither…It is portable, so it goes in my pocket. Nuvi 370

SoMo2 Says:

Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Razorsharp,

That’s great! But do the thieves know that it has a code lock on it? Or will they find that out after they bust out your car window to get at the Garmin?

Razorsharp Says:

Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 5:25 pm

My Garmin has a code lock on it…unusable without the code if it is stolen.