GPS tracking is responsible for many stolen vehicle and cell phone recoveries. It would appear that many thieves are unaware of the tracking capabilities of GPS, or they just don’t know how prominent GPS equipped vehicles and cell phones are. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this tracking technology could be applied to other, easily stolen property, such as bicycles? The problem is finding discrete places to hide the GPS device that wouldn’t just lead to the device being stolen or disabled. Fortunately, SpyLamp has come up with an ingenious new way to track bicycles.

The SpyLamp is like something from a James Bond movie, appearing to be nothing more than a rear-mounted bike light. Hidden inside the light, however, is an inconspicuous GPS tracking device. The light is even functional, so as not to arouse suspicion. It also has a vibration sensor that notifies its owner of any suspicious movement while the bike is supposed to be locked up safely. This gives bike owners a bit of a chance to chase off anyone looking to steal their bike.

This device doesn’t do much in the way of preventing bicycle theft, so locking up your bike is still a good idea. As many bicycle owners will confirm, locking up a bike is not always enough to deter theft. The hard facts are that bicycles are easily and often stolen. Statistics show that in the UK, a bicycle is stolen once every minute, and fewer than five percent are ever recovered.

The primary benefit of the SkyLamp occurs in the unfortunate event that the bicycle is stolen. The GPS tracking sends a signal to the bike owner, showing the exact movement and location of the bicycle. This information can easily be passed on to the police, who will happily recover the bike, and likely find the thief in the process. The same company is currently working on a device small enough to install in the seat, providing an even more discrete anti-theft device.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor