New device to help beat car thieves

2:24pm Friday 26th October 2001

TRACKER dogs have always been used by the police but now tracker cops are helping to hunt down stolen vehicles with the help of a new cutting-edge device.

If a stolen car has already been fitted with an in-car tracking device by the owner, police cars can pick up an alert signal which tells them where the car is.

Already the alert system has meant 37 cars and work vehicles such as diggers were recovered between August last year to July this year, at a value of £705,000.

In one case cops managed to track down a stolen lorry loaded with suspected stolen electrical goods worth £250,000, due to the tracker device.

And now Thames Valley Police and TRACKER Network UK, will install 25 units, similar to masts, which mean the signal put out by the device can be picked up virtually anywhere in the Thames Valley Area.

The signal goes through to the TRACKER control centre who immediately inform Thames Valley Police Control Room with a description of the vehicle and its direction.

Inspector Dave Hartin, head of Traffic Intelligence and Operations, said: "We are determined to use every means possible to prevent and detect car crime and are getting results.

"Obviously we would prefer that the cars and equipment were not stolen in the first place but this at least gives us a chance to track the stolen vehicle, and in some cases, arrest the offender."

Previously the only detection depended on a Thames Valley Police vehicle fitted with a tracker device picking up signals if it was nearby.