Victoria Police GPS trackers plan progressing
A POLICE plan to fit GPS trackers into 1000 vehicles in a game-changing move to target car thieves will be up and running by July.
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A POLICE plan to fit GPS trackers into 1000 vehicles in a game-changing move to track car thieves will be up and running by July.
The trackers, to initially be installed in cars by selected dealerships in Melbourne’s southeast, are synchronised to a smartphone application.
They will alert the owner if their vehicle is stolen and police will track the car.
Bill Flight, from Berwick, had the trackers installed in two cars after his vehicles were stolen eight weeks ago.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill told the Herald Sun: “Victoria Police is working with a number of providers to install tracking devices.
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“The ability for us to eliminate vehicle theft in the future will be driven by technology.
“We are currently on track to have 1000 vehicle trackers installed across the metropolitan area and beyond.
“This technology will drive further reductions in vehicle theft and is a real game-changer, in terms of providing police the information we need to monitor the location of stolen vehicles and the identity of the thieves.”
“They give owners a sense of comfort. We are putting car thieves on notice — any stolen vehicle could be fitted with a tracker device that will identify the location of that vehicle.
Mr Flight decided to act after thieves stole a Ford Ranger and Toyota Corolla from his property earlier this year.
One car was returned while the other had to be replaced.
“They stole the cars from my garage and that led me to get the GPS trackers installed,” he said. “It just gives you a sense of security.”
In the twelve months to December 2017, a total of 15,309 vehicles were reported stolen in Victoria, 4,066 less than the previous year.
The estimated total retail value of all cars stolen in Victoria in that period was $152 million.
National Motor Theft Reduction Council executive director Ray Carroll said the rollout of trackers fitted to cars would quickly progress from the trial stage.