As GPS tracking technology evolves and becomes more sophisticated, thieves must also improve their game to avoid being caught. It’s pretty likely these days that a stolen item may be able to be tracked, which means that the criminal is basically giving police a written invitation to his home. One not-so-savvy Orlando criminal broke into a car to steal an iPad, unaware that the device was equipped with GPS tracking software.

He made it easy for police to find him, first at one residence and then after he took off, they followed the GPS signal to his home and arrested him there for auto theft. While searching his residence, along with the iPad, they also recovered a set of tires from an auto burglary and he was arrested and charged with third-degree grand theft and burglary of a conveyance.
GPS has proven very useful to prevent theft and deter criminal activity in a variety of businesses and industries – anything from retail establishments to universities to construction to auto dealerships and fleet owners. Law enforcement may be one of the biggest beneficiaries because of the ability it gives them to be, in a sense, where they can’t be. Resources are usually tight for local police departments, but GPS tracking allows them to monitor parolees or suspects and limit their movement as well as to track and recover stolen property and arrest suspects.
In a similar case, a teenager set up the “Find My iPhone” feature on his phone which allows users to find their phones and also wipe out personal information if the phone is stolen. His actions paid off because the phone was stolen from his father’s car in Colorado and he was able to track his phone using the software. Not only did he help police to recover his phone, but the trail led to an infamous family of criminals, and quite possibly recovered other stolen merchandise in the process.
Crime prevention and recovery of stolen goods is gaining ground as GPS technology is utilized by law enforcement around the country. This very cost effective solution gives a great advantage over old fashioned police work by taking the guesswork out of many scenarios. It also frees up funds for investigations that require someone to be on the scene. The initial investment is low and while there are monthly fees, they are not exorbitant, especially compared to the payoff.