Thieves steal GPS system for car fleet...and plug it in. Easiest arrest ever.

[Manedwolf]

Stolen GPS leads police to hideout

Neil Hickey

October 31, 2007 04:05pm

IT might be the easiest arrest Mt Ommaney police have ever made.
One man has been charged with robbery after he was tracked by a satellite navigation system he had stolen which inadvertently alerted police to his exact whereabouts.

The bust led police to recover tens of thousands of stolen equipment taken in what appeared to be sophisticated heists.

The breakthrough is thanks to Sumner Park company Fleetlink GPS.

When thieves broke into the company's office earlier this month they stole more than $13,000 worth of equipment including a demonstration pack, a laptop computer and a half-dozen in-car navigators.

The cutting edge equipment is used by transport companies to monitor their fleets.

But five days later, a thief plugged the software in which alerted Fleetlink to the precise location of its stolen equipment.

"We were fairly confident he was going to be silly enough to plug it in because it looks like something to plug in," said business development manager Murray Griffith.

"The curiosity would have killed the cat, without a doubt.

"It was quite funny, we had a bit of a laugh and then contacted police.

"But I don't think it took much to outsmart him though.

"If he was that smart he wouldn't be a criminal."

The thief's location was traced to a residence in the nearby suburb of Camira - exactly eight kilometres or 13 minutes and 41 seconds away.

On this evidence, police were able to obtain a search warrant and do a search of the property which uncovered a virtual Aladdin's Cave of stolen equipment.

Mr Griffith said the thief had disposed of the demonstration pack worth $3, but the remaining equipment, totalling more than $10,000 was able to be recovered.

The alleged thief, a 54-year-old man, has been issued with a notice to appear and will appear in court next month.

 

[griz]

That's pretty good.  At least he didn't video tape himself stealing it.

[Hawkmoon]

The alleged thief, a 54-year-old man, has been issued with a notice to appear and will appear in court next month.

I wonder how he'll find his way to court without his GPS.

[Moondoggie]

One of our local rocket scientists (16 yr old girl) got busted for shoplifting cigarettes in a local liquor store.

Later that night, after the store closed, she broke out a picture window and burglarized the store.  A nearby police officer heard the breaking glass and found her outside in the parking lot with several bottles of liquor in her possession.

Her purse with ID was found inside the store.

The store belongs to our assistant chief of police/investigator.  There are 4,600 folks in our fair burg.  How could she NOT know who owned the liquor store??

Duh!

I think they have this case solved.

[Antibubba]

uote from: Manedwolf on October 31, 2007, 12:41:20 PM
Quote
The alleged thief, a 54-year-old man, has been issued with a notice to appear and will appear in court next month.

I wonder how he'll find his way to court without his GPS. 

Somehow, I expect him to get lost.

[Phantom Warrior]

And that is exactly why even though I'm interested in getting a GPS navigation system, I'm going to be VERY careful to get one that doesn't have location software or Lojack or any of that stuff.

[Desertdog]

And that is exactly why even though I'm interested in getting a GPS navigation system, I'm going to be VERY careful to get one that doesn't have location software or Lojack or any of that stuff.

If you buy it, it won't lead them to you. LOL

Actually, the GPS  trackers have been very helpful in locating stolen vehicles and other high cost items.  I like the systems they use on some bait cars; they have a kill switch for when the cops are behind them.

[Manedwolf]

Actually, the GPS  trackers have been very helpful in locating stolen vehicles and other high cost items.  I like the systems they use on some bait cars; they have a kill switch for when the cops are behind them.

They should have a remote-controller override instead. The doors suddenly lock, the car starts driving itself to  a boxed-in place to arrest them as cops follow, with a guy in the cruiser steering it remotely. For added fun, it could talk harshly at them...perhaps in the voice of the evil car from Knight Rider. 

Or just put a tazer in the seat, too. When the car stops, they get tazed.

[Len Budney]

Or just put a tazer in the seat, too. When the car stops, they get tazed.

If man-traps weren't #$@#$ illegal, you'd already be able to get after-market stuff like that. Imagine the fun!

--Len.