GPS tracking systems are making thieves think twice before they steal a laptop or cell phone. Gadgets are incredibly popular in today’s world, especially because they are very practical. People use their iPods, tablets and computers all the time for work, games, or to keep up with friends. But many gadgets are expensive, and for this very reason they are popular among thieves.
Today, cellphones, cars, computers, and many other devices have GPS tracking systems that help owners know where their devices are at all times. In the past, if you lost your cell phone or computer, or if it got stolen, that was pretty much it. Now is easier to get your device back—well, if it has GPS, that is.
Many companies are installing GPS systems to track their equipment, especially expensive equipment like trucks, ships, etc. Before, few companies had the budget to invest in this kind of technology, but this has rapidly changed with the drop in prices and higher competition between GPS companies. But is GPS only for big companies? Definitely not. GPS is not a commodity anymore, and the technology is more affordable to consumers. Many gadgets come with tracking devices installed already (many smart phones, for example), and it’s easy to install tracking devices to computers or other equipment.
GPS, then, not only functions as a guide to lost or stolen equipment, it is also a feature that protects an investment. With a GPS, anyone can track a lost or stolen cell phone.
This month, a GPS tracking device helped Chicago police find three men that robbed a Radio Shack. The thieves stole more than $17,000 in equipment and products.They cuffed customers and staff at the store and took their belongings, including cell phones, iPads, Kindles, and… a GPS unit. Big mistake! Police tracked one of the robbers using the very item he stole, and the thief was caught. He’s being charged for armed robbery and kidnapping, with bail set at over $300,000.
Stories like this are increasingly repeating themselves. That’s good news for all of us, and bad news for thieves. With GPS technology becoming more and more sophisticated, crime has a new enemy.
