Stolen Car Trackers: How GPS Tracking Can Help Recover a Stolen Vehicle

Having your car stolen is something no vehicle owner wants to experience. Unfortunately, vehicle theft remains a serious concern in the UK, particularly for owners of vehicles that are targeted by organised thieves.

A stolen car tracker can provide an important additional layer of protection by allowing a vehicle to be located if it is stolen.

But how do stolen vehicle trackers work, what happens when your car is stolen, and which type of tracker should you consider?

What Is a Stolen Car Tracker?

A stolen car tracker is a GPS vehicle tracking system designed to help locate your vehicle if it is stolen.

Depending on the tracking system, the device can use technologies such as GPS, GSM, VHF and other location technologies to determine where the vehicle is.

The tracking information is transmitted to a monitoring system, allowing the vehicle's location to be identified.

This can be particularly valuable when a stolen vehicle is moved away from its original location or hidden somewhere to prevent it being found.

How Does a Car Tracker Help If Your Car Is Stolen?

If your vehicle is stolen, the tracker can provide information about its location.

The exact process depends on the tracker and monitoring service installed in your vehicle, but typically the monitoring service can identify that the vehicle has moved or that a theft-related event has occurred.

Once a theft is confirmed, the appropriate recovery process can begin.

A tracker therefore provides something that conventional vehicle security cannot:

The ability to help locate the vehicle after it has been stolen.

What Happens When a Tracked Car Is Stolen?

The exact procedure depends on the tracker and monitoring service, but the general process is:

1. The vehicle is stolen

The thief takes the vehicle despite the manufacturer's security systems or other security measures.

2. The tracking system continues to provide location information

The tracking device can continue to communicate its location through the technologies available to that particular system.

3. The theft is reported

The vehicle owner contacts the appropriate monitoring service and reports the vehicle as stolen.

4. The vehicle is located

The tracking system can provide location information which can assist with identifying where the vehicle is.

5. Recovery can take place

The location information can assist the relevant authorities and recovery teams in locating the stolen vehicle.

A tracker doesn't physically stop someone taking your vehicle, but it can be extremely valuable after the theft has happened.

Are All Car Trackers the Same?

No.

This is one of the most important things to understand when choosing a stolen car tracker.

Different tracking systems use different technologies and provide different levels of protection.

For example, some insurance-approved systems are designed specifically for stolen vehicle recovery, while others are primarily designed for monitoring a vehicle's location.

There are also differences between S5 and S7 tracking systems.

The right tracker therefore depends on your vehicle, its theft risk, your insurance requirements and the level of protection you want.

What Is an S5 Tracker?

An S5 tracker is a higher level of vehicle tracking system designed to provide enhanced protection against vehicle theft.

S5 systems can incorporate additional security features such as driver recognition, tamper detection and advanced tracking technologies.

For owners of high-value or high-risk vehicles, an S5 system can provide an important additional layer of security.

Some insurers specifically require an approved S5 tracking system for certain vehicles.

Always check your individual insurance requirements before purchasing a tracker.

What Is an S7 Tracker?

An S7 tracker is another category of insurance-approved vehicle tracking system.

S7 systems are designed to provide stolen vehicle recovery protection while generally being a more straightforward solution than an S5 system.

For some vehicles, an S7 system may provide the level of security required by the insurer.

Again, the exact requirement depends on the vehicle and insurance policy.

Can a Tracker Prevent My Car From Being Stolen?

A standard GPS tracker is primarily designed to locate and help recover a vehicle after theft.

It should therefore not be confused with an immobiliser.

If preventing the vehicle from being driven away is your priority, an additional immobiliser such as an Autowatch Ghost can provide another layer of protection.

This gives you two different forms of security:

Immobiliser → helps prevent the theft

Tracker → helps locate the vehicle if it is stolen

For high-value and theft-targeted vehicles, combining both can provide a much more comprehensive security solution.

What If Thieves Try To Hide the Tracker?

Professional thieves know that some vehicles contain tracking devices.

This is why the technology used by the tracker matters.

Some higher-specification vehicle tracking systems use multiple technologies and additional methods of locating a vehicle rather than relying solely on a basic GPS signal.

The exact capabilities vary between systems, which is why it's important to choose a tracker appropriate for the vehicle and the level of protection required.

Is a Stolen Car Tracker Worth Having?

For many vehicle owners, the answer can be yes.

A tracker can be particularly worthwhile if you own:

• A high-value vehicle
• A performance car
• A luxury or prestige vehicle
• A vehicle that is frequently targeted by thieves
• A vehicle where your insurer requires an approved tracker
• A vehicle that would be difficult or expensive to replace

The cost of a tracking system is relatively small compared with the potential financial and personal consequences of losing an expensive vehicle.

Does My Car Insurance Require a Tracker?

Some insurers require certain vehicles to have an approved tracking system as a condition of insurance.

This is particularly common with some high-value and high-performance vehicles.

However, requirements vary between insurers and individual policies.

You should always check your insurance documentation or speak to your insurer to confirm exactly what type of tracker is required.

If your insurer specifies S5, S7 or another particular approval level, make sure the system you purchase meets that requirement.

Which Stolen Car Tracker Should I Choose?

There isn't one tracker that is best for every vehicle.

At GPS-CarTrackers.com, we supply a range of insurance-approved tracking systems from established vehicle security brands, including SmarTrack, Meta Trak and ScorpionTrack.

The most suitable system depends on factors such as:

• Your vehicle
• Its value
• Theft risk
• Insurance requirements
• Required approval level
• Whether you want additional security features
• Whether you also want an immobiliser

Rather than simply choosing the cheapest tracker, it's important to make sure you're getting the right system for your particular vehicle and insurance requirements.

Stolen Car Tracker Installation

A professional installation is an important part of your vehicle's security.

The tracker needs to be installed correctly and discreetly within the vehicle, while ensuring that the system operates as intended.

At GPS-CarTrackers.com, we supply and install vehicle tracking systems for customers across the UK.

If your insurer has specified a particular approval level, we can help you identify the appropriate tracking solution for your vehicle.

Protect Your Vehicle Before It's Stolen

A stolen vehicle can be extremely difficult and stressful to recover without reliable location information.

A professionally installed vehicle tracker provides an additional layer of protection by giving you access to tracking and recovery capabilities if your vehicle is stolen.

For higher-risk vehicles, combining a tracker with an immobiliser can provide an even stronger security package.

If you're looking for a stolen car tracker in the UK, GPS-CarTrackers.com can help you choose a suitable system based on your vehicle and insurance requirements.

Don't wait until your car has been stolen to think about vehicle tracking. Protect it before it happens.