STOLEN TomTom Sat Nav - help!

flutterbybutterfly

My husband has had his car broken into whilst on a business meeting out of town today. He had to drive around a bit to find the venue car park entrance and with hindsight remembers two guys on a moped watching him. He has a sports car and it obviously attracted their attention. He parked and dashed in to use the "facilities" after a long drive and planned to come back out to remove satnav and stuff for his meeting. Unfortunately these thieves used the opportunity to help themselves to the Tom Tom from the car smash and grab style and sped off on their moped.

So, my question is:- is there anyway to block or disable the satnav?

Obviously we won't see it again but we want to make sure no-one can benefit from it if this is possible. Also, it has our "home" details stored in it is this something we should be concerned by?

Seem to have had lots of bad luck recently as I've just had a bad car crash too!

albertross_2

No, there is no way to stop it working.

If you had any banking passwords etc on it, change them asap. If they haven't got the house keys, then there is no particular reason to be concerned about them knowing your address, but make sure you lock the windows and doors, and set an alarm if you have one, just in case.

Take the car and house keys to bed, don't leave them in the hallway or downstairs, if they are interested in the car, then they could possibly pay you a visit, but if the business mtg was miles away, it is unlikely. If you have an empty garage, use it.

Poppycat

Dont have your home address down in satnav as thieves can break into your house too. Best just set satnav for town rather than street.

flutterbybutterfly

albertross wrote:

No, there is no way to stop it working.

Take the car and house keys to bed, don't leave them in the hallway or downstairs, if they are interested in the car, then they could possibly pay you a visit,

Thanks, my husband garages his car always anyway.

However, I will NEVER take the car keys upstairs with me. There have been some local stolen cars recently where the thieves have broken into houses for keys and according to police it was a good job the keys were visible and easily taken as they wouldn't have wanted that particular gang to come upstairs and "ask" for the keys. Apparently they landed on person in a coma! Disgusting that we live in an age like this! Anyway with a young family in the house I would never risk it.

It's just really frustrating that you can't block it from use like you can with mobile phones! Also, we are now out of pocket because the car is insured by his business but the sat nav isn't!

Poppycat

I forgot to say I am sorry to hear this. Although I havent fortunately had thieves steal my personnel belongings, I have recently suffered dmagae to my car via hut n run and a pensioners who took exception to me parking near her flat and some criminal damage on my car, I cant prove it of course but I no it was them.

I really lost the will to look after my car now, so I really do feel sorry that people either get kicks out fo doing this in my case or cant be bothered to do a days work or whatever but would rather steal of someone

basill

flutterbybutterfly wrote:

Also, we are now out of pocket because the car is insured by his business but the sat nav isn't!

I had my car broken into 2 weeks ago, they only took the satnav, left a credit card laptop and and all sorts in the car.
Mines a company car too but the sat nav was covered under my house insurance.
Mind you first of all they refused to pay as the unit was under the front seat, not in the boot or glove box. (I know I know shouldnt have left it in the car at all) .
Finally got them to cough up when their policy booklet only required the car to have the windows up and be locked. ha ha
Anyway could be worth a call to you home insurance?

I wouldnt worry about the home address, they already have your satnav! Why would they come round to your road? Its no better than any other place if they are planning a robbery.



B

Poppycat

There was a program on tv a few weeks back on cons. The latest con is stealing someones can and using satnav and break into there house.

Its best to put things away and wipe the windscreen where satnav sat so they cant see the marks where the sucker has been.

albertross_2

Nice to see the police putting the fear of god into everyone, rather than putting their minds at rest. That advice goes against the official advice from the police, the take me to bed campaign. If you are too scared to take them to bed, don't make it easy for them and leave them in the hallway, or in view on a windowsill. If you do that, you are more likely to be targeted in the first place.

Astaroth

Sat Nav works on a passive basis and so cannot be disabled.

Most theives (though obviously not all) are only after certain types of things (ie ones they have someone to get rid of it to quickly) and will not turn violent (as the police said to me, breaking and entering for your first couple of offences is just a slap on the wrist, the second they touch someone it becomes aggrevated and is immediately a custodial sentence)

It is sensible to not keep keys where they can be seen (or worse reached) from the outside of your property but personally think that taking them to bed at night is a little excessive.... it is surely after all why most of us have insurance?

Little_John

Sat nav at the oment is one of the popular thing that everyone wants so are easy to shift for theives.

I use my PDA and a bluetooth GPS receiver I have a cradle that looks like a phone holder attached to the windscreen I leave that there It is tough enough getting it in the right position to keep removing it. The PDA goes with me even when filling up with fuel.

james_brown_06

Poppycat wrote:

There was a program on tv a few weeks back on cons. The latest con is stealing someones can and using satnav and break into there house.

Its best to put things away and wipe the windscreen where satnav sat so they cant see the marks where the sucker has been.

I have a pack of these in my car, so that I can easily remove tell-tale rings from my windscreen.

http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/armor-all-glass-wipes-pack-of-15-description.html