Car thieves importing GPS jammers from China

Criminal gangs importing GPS jammers from China to help them steal expensive cars or transporters with valuable loads will soon be in for nasty surprise.  TRACKER, the  UK’s leading stolen vehicle tracking and recovery systems specialist is preparing to launch a ground breaking product with greater resistance to jamming.  TRACKER Locate will provide a significantly enhanced defence against vehicle theft following the latest revelations

Tracking devices have become a major part of every day life with GPS being used in everything from cars to phones, cameras and even pet collars. But GPS systems are vulnerable to a technique called ‘jamming’ which blocks the signal between a GPS satellite and its receiver.

The impending launch of TRACKER Locate, marks the arrival of the most advanced tracking device on the market, incorporating GSM, GPS and VHF technology in one unit. The result is a solution far more resistant to criminals using jamming devices.  Used by all 52 police forces, TRACKER’s stolen vehicle tracking and recovery systems inform the police of the initial location of a stolen vehicle.  Crucially, TRACKER Locate will raise an alert if there is any attempt to jam the communication system or tamper with the unit, so the police and owner are aware of the theft instantly. It then uses the precision of VHF technology to track that stolen vehicle to its exact location.

“Many people are unaware how much we rely on GPS.  It’s not just vehicle owners that are under the increasing threat of jamming,” explains Stephen Doran, managing director for TRACKER. “With criminals increasingly importing jammers from China or manufacturing their own in the UK, experts are even voicing concerns that air traffic control or other important networks may come under attack by terrorists in the future if steps aren’t taken.”

Stephen Doran concludes, “There is an over-reliance, particularly on GPS alone, as a security and recovery system.  With more and more UK motorists vulnerable to attack from jamming devices we don’t believe a single technology system is robust enough. TRACKER Locate has been designed specifically to overcome these issues for the stolen vehicle recovery market. But, more importantly, our advances in technology make this solution equally applicable to any market or business where the protection of the asset is paramount and the rising risk of GPS jamming causes concern.”