Sat Nav stolen from car - can it be traced?

arunadasi

The SatNav I share with my son has disappeared - the only thing I can think of is that it was stolen from the car - my son has the tendency to leave it unlocked sometimes.
My son thinks that it is possible for the police to trace it if it is being used by someone. Is this ture?

Burlesque_Babe

From this article

http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/safermotors/sat_navs/postcards.asp

"Police are also warning that stolen Sat Navs can now be traced.
Sat Navs registered with www.immobilise.com, or with the manufacturer on purchase, can be tracked and if the owner knows the serial number, stolen units can be traced by police."

arunadasi

That's great, I'll try it. Thanks!

goldspanners

i think all that website does is reduce the amount of stuff going to police auctions.
i think the op is looking for some way to actually track it via gps,i may be wrong.
i think that site just stores the details of your prized possesions like your ipod,sat nav,mobile phone... in the off chance they come across them.
as good an idea as it seems,i dont think the op will get thier sat nav back this way.

Burlesque_Babe

no, it won't unfortunately, but if they have already registered it, it's better than nothing (although sadly, probably a very, very long shot at it ever coming back to them).

harveybobbles

You may want to concider getting some extra security at home. As the thievin gyppo who robbed the 'nav presses the "home" button on the nav and finds out when no one is in!

zappahey

harveybobbles wrote: »

...presses the "home" button on the nav and finds out when no one is in!

Man, these pesky things just get more and more clever!

hewhoisnotintheknow

i wouldnt of thought they could be electronically traced as they only recieve.

However some do transmit info, but i doubt the suppliers/police would bother for such a low value item that "might" of been stolen

Enfieldian

harveybobbles wrote: »

You may want to concider getting some extra security at home. As the thievin gyppo who robbed the 'nav presses the "home" button on the nav and finds out when no one is in!

Am I missing something here? OP lost their Sat Nav, not their keys....?

They presumably had a home before they lost their Sat Nav, or is it invisible until someone presses the home button?

vikingaero

Enfieldian wrote: »

Am I missing something here? OP lost their Sat Nav, not their keys....?

They presumably had a home before they lost their Sat Nav, or is it invisible until someone presses the home button?

Thief switches on the nav and it will reveal the homeowners address and guide them to it. So they know where you live and could sit outside until you go out and then burgle the place.

Enfieldian

Hmm. Possible but highly unlikely.

Thief could sit outside any house and wait until any number of people come out. How does he know how many people live there?

Waits until lights go off and someone comes out. Possible but thief could do this at any house surely, not having to drive all the way to the one on his Sat Nav.

Mine has home stored on it but I live in a block of flats and the number is not part of the address. Thief could have a looooooooooong wait for the residents of all 36 flats to go out at the same time! Then he might accidentally break into someone elses flat!

:rotfl: