Is a Tracker worth it? (1 Viewer)

[656]

I have a Trackstar fitted to our van. It's never been activated - was fitted for free by the dealer.

 

[MR. FUSION]

You can get a vehicle one on Ebay for £60+/- with a SIM card & GPS & software for your smartphone or PC tracking system - are they any good ? I'll let you know.:Cool:

 

[rainbow chasers]

Can I just say here, Stick with PROFESSIONAL systems such as the club Trackstar system. It is all very well having cheap systems that are pay as you go and the like, but no-one including the police can do anything about it even if the tracker does locate your camper in a shed somewhere if the system is not a professional system.

As for the usefulness of a tracker - it is more important than an alarm. If you report a stolen vehicle to the police without a tracker, then it will be reported and added to the system. You will hear back in a couple of weeks when they start to investigate it.

If you have a tracker, it gets immediately activated and the police vehicles can track the vehicles whereabouts.

I am the biggest fool of all - I fit trackers, yet like a plumbers bathroom, had not got around to fit one to my caravan - I kick myself every day for not finding the time and fitting one. Added to the records, nothing the police can do.

Don't be a fool, fit a tracker! Make sure it includes europe-wide coverage in with the subscription - life cover is usually around £300 - just do it!

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[TheDogMan]

Tis a fact that expensive caravans & moho's when stolen are parked up somewhere out of the way for up to 12 hours so if there is a tracker fitted the thieves are not with it when the police arrive, after this time they are taken to there eventual destination.
Comfort would not insure mine without a tracker

 

[MR. FUSION]

Can I just say here, Stick with PROFESSIONAL systems such as the club Trackstar system. It is all very well having cheap systems that are pay as you go and the like, but no-one including the police can do anything about it even if the tracker does locate your camper in a shed somewhere if the system is not a professional system.

Can you explain how the police cant do anything if you give them a tracker location of your vehicle ?

 

[rainbow chasers]

Can you explain how the police cant do anything if you give them a tracker location of your vehicle ?

Because they are not verified systems, and are not or do not have any guarantee to accuracy, nor can the police access the system.

Systems vary greatly - an expensive system may update on location every 20 seconds - a cheap one every 7 minutes or more. Accuracy can be within several feet or less with a quality system, or several hundred feet or more with a cheap one.

If you consider the vehicle may be on the road driving, at 70mph with a 7 minute update, the vehicle would be a little over a mile away from where you think it is.

If you out yourself in a position of 'finding' your vehicle which the tracker says is located in a garage. You can call the Police out, tell them it is there and that your tracker says it is - but they cannot force entry without reliable evidence to prove that it is there. A proven tracking system has this - a cheap one does not!

They will only be able to react if the vehicle leaves that garage......and they don't have the manpower to wait there until it does. They may sympathise with your plight, but cannot gain a warrant or search those premises without a valid reason to do so.

They may be better than none at all - but you need an approved system to ensure the vehicle's location can be proven to allow the Police to take action. An approved system, with an approved tracking centre that will supplying accurate information for prosecution etc is the only way to go!

Cheap is cheap for a reason!

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[jhorsf]

Anyone going equipped today would have a GPS jammer costing a few pounds this would make a tracker unable to report the position this is not something the people who sell trackers will tell you

 

[journeyman]

I have a "self monitored" tracker fitted with a movement sensor. It cost £120. After 12 months you pay £25 per annum for access to the suppliers server. Certainly not as good as a Trackstar, but it does the job for me. I have reviewed the product: Eddie and others have chipped in some valid points. Its all about budget and circumstances.

:Broken Link Removed

In my area, the thieves do park up the vehicles(normally high value cars) in a public place not covered by CCTV to see if they have a tracker.

 

[journeyman]

Because they are not verified systems, and are not or do not have any guarantee to accuracy, nor can the police access the system.

Systems vary greatly - an expensive system may update on location every 20 seconds - a cheap one every 7 minutes or more. Accuracy can be within several feet or less with a quality system, or several hundred feet or more with a cheap one.

If you consider the vehicle may be on the road driving, at 70mph with a 7 minute update, the vehicle would be a little over a mile away from where you think it is.

If you out yourself in a position of 'finding' your vehicle which the tracker says is located in a garage. You can call the Police out, tell them it is there and that your tracker says it is - but they cannot force entry without reliable evidence to prove that it is there. A proven tracking system has this - a cheap one does not!

They will only be able to react if the vehicle leaves that garage......and they don't have the manpower to wait there until it does. They may sympathise with your plight, but cannot gain a warrant or search those premises without a valid reason to do so.

They may be better than none at all - but you need an approved system to ensure the vehicle's location can be proven to allow the Police to take action. An approved system, with an approved tracking centre that will supplying accurate information for prosecution etc is the only way to go!

Cheap is cheap for a reason!

I'm not sure thats correct, unless the Apple App "Find My Phone" is Thatcham approved? As the police routinely put in doors to arrest robbers who have street mugged someone for their iphone, by using the app to locate it?

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[journeyman]

Because they are not verified systems, and are not or do not have any guarantee to accuracy, nor can the police access the system.
!

Just had a further look at this Rainbow. You are correct in that ACPO has issued a set of standards for companies who provide monitoring services, I was wrong on that point. This is to cut down on false alarms etc from their call centres. Companies can then pay ACPO a fee(sounds iffy) for the right to stamp "Police Approved" on the product box. So if I was purchasing a monitored system, products like Trackstar, Phantom or Cobra are the way to go...But.

I would still assert that a member of the public would still get a meaningful response from the police, if they phoned 999 and said my stolen £25k van is parked up in this barn. As an ex-plod, I cannot think of any reason why I would not gain access to the item. Although I may need to be creative. Leaving it would not be an option.

Again its down to each individuals budget. Some of the approved products are grossly overpriced.

 

[rainbow chasers]

Just had a further look at this Rainbow. You are correct in that ACPO has issued a set of standards for companies who provide monitoring services, I was wrong on that point. This is to cut down on false alarms etc from their call centres. Companies can then pay ACPO a fee(sounds iffy) for the right to stamp "Police Approved" on the product box. So if I was purchasing a monitored system, products like Trackstar, Phantom or Cobra are the way to go...But.

I would still assert that a member of the public would still get a meaningful response from the police, if they phoned 999 and said my stolen £25k van is parked up in this barn. As an ex-plod, I cannot think of any reason why I would not gain access to the item. Although I may need to be creative. Leaving it would not be an option.

Again its down to each individuals budget. Some of the approved products are grossly overpriced.

I agree, many of the systems are over priced - a system I first used when hiring was something like £499 to buy with 1st year subs, after that £176 per year for UK and £289 fir EU. It was pretty expensive, especially when that is each vehicle, regardless of your fleet size.

That led me to look at other suppliers, which is why we stock the ones were do - highly rated at £299 plus £130/year or £350 life. I cannot get them down to the level that Trackstar offers, but that said - a good price for the level you are getting.

As regards to the barn situation - the reason I used this is because it was an actual event that happened. Owner I knew sat outside a barn with a mobile phone based system telling them the vehicle was inside, and Police shrugging their shoulders as it was not deemed as 'reliable' enough for them to take action. They needed to be reasonably sure it was there to warrant entry - the system used was not deemed accurate enough as the vehicle may have been there - or nearby, but not in that building. He was left with the result as being 'if it comes out, we can do something'

With the way that I phones and the like have been used, this may change one day. But for what I presume is legal reasons or process, they are reluctant to force entry on what they see as 'heresay' I can understand their position on it - it may change one day as these technologies improve - but for an extra £100 or so, it is well worth being sure you are covered - and like you say, for a £25k van, what is another £100 for that peace of mind?

I understand people are on different budgets, but if you are then you cannot afford to lose it then you cannot afford to cut corners. That is a non biased opinion based on my own experiences.

 

[easygirl]

Regarding the ebay type trackers, I am a police officer working on a stolen vehicle squad, we would act on information given by he owner of a vehicle with an ebay type tracker on board
If you could show us the software or co ordinates on the map . I would be more than happy to go and get a warrant, and get you motorhome back.
We are directly linked to tracker in g.m.p, but not track star

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[MR. FUSION]

Because they are not verified systems, and are not or do not have any guarantee to accuracy, nor can the police access the system.

Systems vary greatly - an expensive system may update on location every 20 seconds - a cheap one every 7 minutes or more. Accuracy can be within several feet or less with a quality system, or several hundred feet or more with a cheap one.

If you consider the vehicle may be on the road driving, at 70mph with a 7 minute update, the vehicle would be a little over a mile away from where you think it is.

If you out yourself in a position of 'finding' your vehicle which the tracker says is located in a garage. You can call the Police out, tell them it is there and that your tracker says it is - but they cannot force entry without reliable evidence to prove that it is there. A proven tracking system has this - a cheap one does not!

They will only be able to react if the vehicle leaves that garage......and they don't have the manpower to wait there until it does. They may sympathise with your plight, but cannot gain a warrant or search those premises without a valid reason to do so.

They may be better than none at all - but you need an approved system to ensure the vehicle's location can be proven to allow the Police to take action. An approved system, with an approved tracking centre that will supplying accurate information for prosecution etc is the only way to go!

Cheap is cheap for a reason!

.....if I am standing outside a barn with a GPS & SIM card based signal tracker system reporting onto a map on my mobile phone, showing my 25k motorhome is in there (and they are putting doors through for I phone recovery signals) I fully expect them to go and look for it......

 

[Deckard]

.....if I am standing outside a barn with a GPS & SIM card based signal tracker system reporting onto a map on my mobile phone, showing my 25k motorhome is in there (and they are putting doors through for I phone recovery signals) I fully expect them to go and look for it......

i'd put the door in myslef and deal with any problems later - screw the thieving gits who took it....grrr :Angry:

...and just so you know, some scumbag was nicking my bike...i heard the chain rattling and ran out butt naked with my helmet and smashed the tosser over the head with it and chased him off...i was later arrested for GBH...although later it was dropped.....

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Trying hard to find something for GBH
Naked ,bike Tosser,helmit,bash
Come on the acronym experts

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[MR. FUSION]

i'd put the door in myslef and deal with any problems later - screw the thieving gits who took it....grrr :Angry:

...and just so you know, some scumbag was nicking my bike...i heard the chain rattling and ran out butt naked with my helmet and smashed the tosser over the head with it and chased him off...i was later arrested for GBH...although later it was dropped.....

that could & should have been a youtube classic.....

In my case the Ebay tracker is a second line of defence my first line of defence is a professionally fitted Thatcham approved alarm/immobiliser. :thumb:

 

[rainbow chasers]

Regarding the ebay type trackers, I am a police officer working on a stolen vehicle squad, we would act on information given by he owner of a vehicle with an ebay type tracker on board
If you could show us the software or co ordinates on the map . I would be more than happy to go and get a warrant, and get you motorhome back.
We are directly linked to tracker in g.m.p, but not track star

That is good that you do react - I know in the case I quoted, the Police did not want to know. At that time, the officer was reluctant to react due to the 'unproven' accuracy. It may be a gamble on forces, areas or just the officer you meet at the time, who knows?

My recent experience with an untracked vehicle stolen was frustrating to say the least. Knew where it was going, what day it was due on ferry and two possible destinations. I would have hoped a quick call/contact with the ferry terminals/ forces near the ferry terminals.....they cannot do so, nor can they check the CCTV due to manpower.
Ten days to assign officer. Visits site owner who says he knows who took it but doesn't want to tell them his name. Police log it and close case. Teach me to find the time to fit it with a tracker eh?

For the owner this can be exasperating - but you have to realise your property is only special to yourself. Just a number amongst many others when stolen!

Up to you to secure it as best as you can - locks and clamps are just cut off! Find the best functioning system you can afford, and one that is recognised and ensure it is a genuine product if buying away from an authorised agent or the manufacturer. It is a gamble, and you only get ONE chance - only you can load the odds in your favour.

 

[sdc77]

In regards to gps trackers.. They are very good and cheap can easily be as accurate as expensive... Is exactly the same technology so why wouldn't it be.
As someone already stated.. They can be jammed very easily with a tiny device that costs almost nothing...
Tracker commonly used an rf based system... This is quite easy to detect using a small hand held radio scanner ... The final type of tracker uses a gsm(mobile phone) signal... Is not very accurate but does work and is difficult to detect or jam. There are now plenty of companies who offer trackers that use all the technologies.... They work very well. The most important security though is security at home (or on holiday) of your keys. A modern vehicle really needs keys to be stolen... Older ones may be easier to steal without keys so physical security such as clamps and pedal locks is the way to go.

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[Deckard]

that could & should have been a youtube classic.....

In my case the Ebay tracker is a second line of defence my first line of defence is a professionally fitted Thatcham approved alarm/immobiliser. :thumb:

i am old - you tube wasnt around back then....nor were camera phones, we were still on nokia bricks!!

 

[eddie]

Well as a company we have installed literally thousands. Our fist systems were called LEO System (low Earth Orbit) and cost circa £1400 installed 1996'ish

Ross Autotronics, the manufacturers went bust leaving everyone in a mess

As a comparison we now install the Trackstar Stolen vehicle recovery system from as little as £199 depending on your package. Trafficmaster the blue camera people are the parent company and it is the largest selling stolen vehicle GPS/GSM on the market.

Is it worth it? Well the facts talk for themselves in the speed of recovery in a number of cases, and discounts of up to 30% can be obtained:thumb:

But, theft "from vehicles runs around 70% of "all" reported vehicle crime and I would hazard a guess that this figure for leisure vehicles would be even higher. In these instances a tracking system is no use what so ever!

So I tend to think that if your insurers require a Tracking system, so be it, try to negotiate a discount, or God forbid get a quote from another Company, if they don't require it as a condition of insurance, buy a non monitored product and save money.

Worse still is Cat Five systems. I started Van Bitz in 1990 and to be frank spend some time fitting in the workshops but normally leave as much as I can to other people but even I have had to be trained and Police Checked to get my Cat Five installers qualification and these systems start circa £750 and the Police get stop the vehicle:thumb:

If you loose the keys as there is, as others have correctly stated, very little chance of stealing your Motorhome any other way. Last month there was a reference by a journalist to a feature he wrote about motorhome security in 1999.

We broke into and started a Motorhome in under 20 seconds in 2009 the same journalist was discussing re-visiting the subject and we said that there was no point as we couldn't hot wire them any more

Eddie

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Hi eddie
So if you had no security fitted at all and a van that cost over 30 grand
What would you fit

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[rainbow chasers]

I put nothing past theives anymore - if they want it, they will take it!

Going back to the late 90's, my recovery trucks were safe locked up in their compound, with drop saftey posts in front of a solid locked gate....wrong!

I have no idea what they used, but I had a couple of lorries lifted over the fence. It had happened in town to a few pick-ups, but never thought anything would lift my lorries! Especially as the road was tight anyway, and out in the sticks.

They took them - insurers walked away as the compound was still secure.The Police gave me the 'proffessional' theft line - but that was no comfort as it took me out of business. And as always, no-one saw a thing! Whatever lifted them over would have been BIG and a VERY tight squeeze down the road - and yet no-one saw anything.

I am not saying that they would do this easily with a motorhome without damaging it - but they could. If they want it, they will take it! Assume nothing.

 

[eddie]

Hi I would favor a security system over a tracking system every time.

Lots of people on the forum have anecdotes about robberies or attempted robberies very few have had their motorhomes stolen.

Also the deterrent value of a decent alarm has to be factored in. Ten motorhomes over nighting in an Aire one is obviously alarmed, nine look to not to be alarmed, which one would you break into first?

If your creeping around late at night, in the dark your not looking for confrontation (other wise you'd simply knock on the door with a knife and demand money) you'll try not to do anything that will cause confrontation EG Trigger an alarm system.

Most casual crime is opportunistic, most of the crime experiences that motorhome owners encounter is opportunistic, spur of the moment random acts, which are the easiest to deter.

A tracker in any of these cases is worse than useless. The advice we normally give (although I need to point out that I am not qualified to give insurance adviceoh is, if your insurance company demand a tracking system as a condition of insurance: Argue and if necessary get quotes else where. If the tracking system is a condition of the insurance, try to negotiate a discount.

If your worried about key theft or perhaps the keys are available elsewhere say in a storage compound, and money is not the main criteria for deciding your security purchase get a tracking system fitted.

Eddie

 

[eddie]

I put nothing past theives anymore - if they want it, they will take it!

Going back to the late 90's, my recovery trucks were safe locked up in their compound, with drop saftey posts in front of a solid locked gate....wrong!

I have no idea what they used, but I had a couple of lorries lifted over the fence. It had happened in town to a few pick-ups, but never thought anything would lift my lorries! Especially as the road was tight anyway, and out in the sticks.

They took them - insurers walked away as the compound was still secure.The Police gave me the 'proffessional' theft line - but that was no comfort as it took me out of business. And as always, no-one saw a thing! Whatever lifted them over would have been BIG and a VERY tight squeeze down the road - and yet no-one saw anything.

I am not saying that they would do this easily with a motorhome without damaging it - but they could. If they want it, they will take it! Assume nothing.

Vehicle crime (all crime actually) has been steadily falling for a number of years.

I could easily hotwire a motorhome in the Ninties, have removed loads of factory fitted immobilisers and helped people remove them when they've failed but can over come the latest generation of say the last six or seven years.

Motor home security is more about personal safety and the safety of possessions and personal effects than the motor home, in the majority of cases.

Eddie

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[Peter & Elaine]

Thanks eddie
So just to be fair as you know more about this than I do please recommend
A quality alarm system
A tracking system and if possible some idea of operating costs
And yes I would travel to have something fitted I much prefer to use recommend suppliers over someone local who I have never heard off and who's workmanship is unknown to me

Cheeky bugger ain't I
We have bought so much rubbish over years I am loath to anything nowadays
Without recommendations

 

[eddie]

Thanks eddie
So just to be fair as you know more about this than I do please recommend
A quality alarm system
A tracking system and if possible some idea of operating costs
And yes I would travel to have something fitted I much prefer to use recommend suppliers over someone local who I have never heard off and who's workmanship is unknown to me

Cheeky bugger ain't I
We have bought so much rubbish over years I am loath to anything nowadays
Without recommendations

It would be wrong of me to recommend an alarm system.

I would wait for other peoples recommendation :thumb:

Eddie

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Ok eddie step too far found website so will email though shop

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[MR. FUSION]

Vehicle crime (all crime actually) has been steadily falling for a number of years.

I could easily hotwire a motorhome in the Ninties, have removed loads of factory fitted immobilisers and helped people remove them when they've failed but can over come the latest generation of say the last six or seven years.

Motor home security is more about personal safety and the safety of possessions and personal effects than the motor home, in the majority of cases.

Eddie

This sounds very sensible advice - motorhomes are ridiculously easy to get into, because plastic is weak. The main aim of my alarm system is to motion sense the cab and all the habitation area. Thus cutting short (hopefully) the crims time in the van with the alarm ringing in his ears......I also assume everything in my motorhome could be nicked, so must be easily replaceable. My laptop is deliberately the size of a larger netbook & very light so will be with me much of the time.

If guys come along with a crane to steal your motorhome they are clearly pro's & I suspect there is not much can be done to stop them other than have reliable insurance.

 

[rainbow chasers]

If guys come along with a crane to steal your motorhome they are clearly pro's & I suspect there is not much can be done to stop them other than have reliable insurance.

The craning of the lorries was very etreme, it blew my mind at the time - but chances of it happening to a motorhome are more than slim. But it did change my attitude of 'trust no-one'! where that is concerned.

As Eddie says, the immobilisers are net to impossible to get over nowadays. The new spate of thefts on vehicles are with pros using jammers and key cloning - they wouldn't go the that epense and risk if they could hotwire it.

Most decent trackers will activate when a door or window is tampered with, which with a monitored system is very useful alert as motorhomes are more at risk of having equipment taken than the whole vehicle. Fridges, aircon units etc are far easier to shift and sell.

 

[haganap]

The question was, is a tracker worth it ?


Answer,

If your motorhome is stolen, yes.

If its not, no.

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