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By Greg Bartlett

Since the development of vehicle tracking devices, car rental companies have been protecting their fleet with GPS technology. These systems allow them to keep track of all of their cars as they travel around the country. Vehicle tracking devices are also very useful for protecting cars from theft or locating them after they are stolen.

Vehicle Theft & GPS

Unfortunately, car thieves are discovering ways to get around these vehicle tracking devices. In fact, they are beginning to use GPS tracking devices as well, taking advantage of the decreasing prices of real time GPS trackers. One of the latest tactics of car thieves is to rent a car, copy the key, and hide a vehicle tracking system inside. This allows them to track the movements of the car until they can hijack the vehicle. By tracking rental cars around the country, car thieves can steal cars with relatively low gas mileage when they are parked in high traffic areas like airports and theme parks.

A man in Japan was arrested last year for stealing eight cars using this method. He had installed real time vehicle tracking devices in cars that his two ex-wives would rent for him. Although the man was caught and prosecuted, law enforcement officers are concerned with what car thieves can do using vehicle tracking devices.

Although the use of vehicle tracking devices to steal cars may become more popular in the coming years, there are several ways for people to prevent this from happening. First, car rental companies should carefully inspect vehicles when they are returned. A very thorough inspection is needed, since vehicle tracking devices are meant to be hidden. Good places to look are seat pockets, inside car bumpers, and under the dashboard, although there are many other good hiding places. The purchase of a GPS tracking detector would also be helpful to make sure that a device does not go undetected.

People who rent vehicles should also take measures to protect themselves. It is important to talk with the rental company to see if they use GPS tracking systems for security and fleet management. This will allow you to know where the device is placed to assure you that a potential thief has not placed a tracking device in the vehicle. If the rental company does not track their vehicles with GPS trackers and one is found in the vehicle, let the rental company know immediately.