TRACKER recoveries Jan-Jun 2009 worth nearly £12 million

TRACKER, the UK leader in stolen vehicle recovery, recovered nearly £12 million worth of vehicles between January and June 2009. The latest figures confirm a continued trend of vehicles being stolen using the owner’s keys, with 74per cent of all vehicles recovered having been taken using this means. TRACKER urges every vehicle owner to protect their assets, regardless of value, age or function, not just those with prestige cars.

Demonstrating the reason for TRACKER’s warning is news that the highest value recovery during the January to June 2009 period was a piece of plant machinery, when a Caterpillar 936D worth £185,000 was stolen with its keys in the ignition. Light commercial vehicles, most noticeably the Ford Transit and Nissan Cabstar, have also appeared regularly on the stolen and recovered list. The Peugeot Ludix scooter, which shot into the thieves’ shopping basket in 2008, continues to be an attractive option for them in 2009.

Those that consider only new or nearly new owners of vehicles such as BMW, Porsche, Audi, Aston Martin and Mercedes Benz need to protect themselves, will be surprised to learn that 30per cent of the vehicles recovered by TRACKER between January and June 2009 were valued at less than £10,000. Less than 4 per cent of recoveries were actually valued at more than £50,000, as thieves cater for the credit crunch market.

“TRACKER’s vehicle recovery update shows that car criminals have more than adequately adapted to cope with the economic downturn,“ explains Bill Raynal, Managing Director for TRACKER. “As car buyers become more frugal with their money, villains are stealing vehicles that people can afford to buy. This makes it more important than ever that people protect themselves from thieves and that means thinking about keeping their keys safe at all times. In addition, having a tracking device fitted vastly improves the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle, helping to reduce financial and emotional heartache.”

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. The tracking device works even if the vehicle is hidden in a container or taken underground, offering car owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.

Whilst London continues to be the hot spot in terms of vehicles fitted with a TRACKER device being stolen and recovered, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool also saw high volumes of cars being taken by thieves. Doncaster, Sheffield, Stockport and Birmingham also reported a notable number of thefts.

Raynal concludes, “It’s clear that thieves are prepared to spread their net wide, targeting vehicles of any age, function or value, anywhere around the UK. We advise owners to reassess their security measures and consider installing a tracking device for peace of mind. At the very least owners should look after their keys to avoid giving thieves a free ride.”