Tracker thwarts take-away thieves

Crafty motorcycle thieves thought they had evaded detection when they stole a pizza delivery scooter in north London and later hid the machine in woodland near the M1. But they didn’t count on the fact that the owners were only in the business of take-away pizzas – and not take-away scooters! The vehicle was recovered thanks to the effectiveness of TRACKER, the UK’s leading stolen vehicle recovery company, and its working relationship with the police.

The Metropolitan, Hertfordshire and Surrey police forces were all involved in the search for the missing vehicle, capitalising on the fact that it was fitted with a tracking device. “The bike appeared to have been used for off-roading and had probably been moved around by a van over a number of days, crossing between the different counties” confirmed Sergeant Rob Squire from the Metropolitan Road Policing Unit. “But it was eventually tracked down to a well hidden area of woodland near a motorway service station.

“Not only are we pleased to recover the bike for the owner, but we were also able to stop it being used illegally off-road. The TRACKER unit was key to this great result.

“Off-roading is a nuisance that causes considerable distress and annoyance for communities and is also dangerous for those who use the machines, often with no training or safety gear. Plus these activities endanger other members of the public who are in the vicinity.”

Of course, the scooter was also crucial to support the business a spokesperson at the pizza company explains: “The TRACKER team worked so hard to recover our stolen scooter and without the tracking unit it would never have been found. We will continue to use TRACKER devices on all our scooters, providing that extra level of security.”

Stuart Chapman, TRACKER's Police Relationships Manager, says, “Thieves need to be aware that our system is fitted to many motorcycles, not just high value motor cars. Through the use of very high frequency technology (VHF), it is highly effective in taking police right to the location of a stolen motor bike, as this case proves. We are the only stolen vehicle recovery provider operated by the 52 police forces in the UK, which was vital in finding the scooter this time.”

TRACKER stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. Unlike other tracking systems, the device works even if the vehicle is hidden in a garage or taken abroad, offering car owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.

For TRACKER Stolen Vehicle Recovery product and pricing information, visit TRACKER.co.uk