Rocky Mountain Tracking » Crime Prevention

CA Arson Suspect Tracked Without Warrant

Marisa O'Connor — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:08 +0000

After many mixed rulings across the country regarding whether or not police need a warrant to track suspects with GPS, the Supreme Court announced the final verdict: evidence obtained from a GPS device without a warrant will not hold up in court. This was great news for Antoine Jones, of the infamous case heard by the high court, but has some California residents concerned. Attorneys across the land are searching through their case histories for opportunities to appeal guilty verdicts, and Jairo Perkins-Grubbs’ lawyers are no exception.

Perkins-Grubbs is being charged with 20 felony counts of arson for allegedly setting a series of fires in Butte County, CA. The fires began towards the end of July and continued until October 3, 2011, causing massive amounts of property damage in the area. His attorneys are hoping to use the historic Supreme Court ruling to challenge some of the evidence obtained against their client. According to the defense, investigators monitored the suspect with a GPS device without a warrant.

The best case scenario for Perkins-Grubbs is if the bulk of evidence against him was obtained from the illegal GPS device. Prosecutors in the case say they are unsure what the Supreme Court ruling will mean for this case. Any evidence gathered illegally cannot be used against the suspect in court. However, if enough evidence is available outside the tracking device, the case may still hold up.

It is a scary thought that such a dangerous criminal could be released over a legal technicality. Unfortunately, cases like this reveal that the U.S. court system is far from perfect. Some criminals will walk free, but we can hope that at the very least, these close calls with the law can serve as a deterrent from future crimes.

Idaho Copper Thief Nabbed Thanks to GPS

Khristen Foss — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:00:32 +0000

In today’s age of economic woes, copper theft is on the rise. The high price of copper coupled with desperation on the part of thieves has led to problems all over the country related to its theft: tornado warning sirens failing to sound due to thieves stealing the copper wiring which power them, power outages due to stripped transformers which also rely on copper wiring, and inoperable wells and pumps on desert farms who rely on these wires to bring much needed water to their crops. Contractors all over the country are experiencing thefts from their incomplete homes, an easy target for thieves as there is no one home to stop them, doors or windows often left unlocked.

Officers in Burley, Idaho decided to do something about it and began embedding GPS tracking devices right into the wiring which led to a recent arrest in Cassia County. Sheriff Randy Kidd reports Jorge Ernest Castillo, 38 of Burley, along with a 15-year-old accomplice were arrested for alleged grand theft thanks to the GPS locating device and “good old law enforcement.” The copper he stole was worth an estimated $1,200.

Kidd, in a press release, calls out would-be thieves and tells them to beware: “Let this be a warning to potential copper thieves, the next roll of wire that you take may be the one that has our tracker embedded in it and you will be next.”

Officers planted a spool of copper wire complete with GPS device in a rural area in Cassia County as bait to attract a thief. After a period of time, officers were alerted that the spool was on the move, around 5:24pm. They followed the signal given out by the embedded device and were led directly to the suspect’s car. The arrest of Castillo and his accomplice is the second arrest attributed to the location device in the last two years.

Kidd stated he planned to use these devices as much as his budget would afford, as the department must not only pay for the $800 device itself, but for the activation of the tracking system as well. Kidd feels these tracking devices are the most effective tool they could possibly rely on to capture copper thieves.

Castillo is being held at the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The minor was released to his parents.

GPS Tracking Program in Santa Fe for Repeat Burglary Cases

Hillary Mayfield — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:00:01 +0000

With overcrowded prisons and the high cost of incarcerating a criminal, officials in Santa Fe, New Mexico have recently started a new program that they hope will ease the burden of both problems on society. Police will use GPS tracking ankle bracelets on convicted burglars in an effort to deter them from repeat crimes.

The Problem
Studies have found that burglars tend to go right back to their crimes once released from prison. Almost like an addiction, repeat incarcerations seem to have little effect, and it costs the taxpayer thousands of dollars every year. The fact of the matter is that police often note spikes in burglary type crimes whenever a burglar is released from jail. In an ABC News report, Santa Fe Police Captain Eric Wheeler said that the use of GPS technology is an alternative to re-incarceration that he hopes will prove effective in reducing the number of burglaries.

The Program
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Couler of Santa Fe, the program will focus on those convicted burglars who have long sentences, multiple convictions, or a history of juvenile burglary. District prosecutors and police will work with a defendant’s attorney to determine whether the individual qualifies for the program. In light of the current case before the Supreme Court in regards to GPS tracking and Fourth Amendment rights, the full cooperation of the defendant must be obtained to maintain the Constitutionality of the program. The individual must waive his right to privacy since the police will have unrestricted access to the data collected from the GPS-enabled tracking device put on the defendant’s person. Those enrolled in the program must also agree to obtain a job in order to be a contributing member of society.

The Procedure
The tracking devices have both passive and real-time tracking capabilities. Those enrolled in the program will be monitored only passively unless there is a rash of burglaries in the area where the defendant lives or if the crimes seem to reflect a particular individual’s modus operandi. In that case, police will contact the GPS tracking company to obtain the real-time data that can either place the individual at the scene of the crime or clear him of wrongdoing.

Since longer jail times and repeat incarcerations do not seem to be effective, authorities in Santa Fe hope that GPS technology and the knowledge that someone is watching will be enough to deter these otherwise harmless criminals from committing more burglaries.

Kochi Launching E-Ticketing and GPS Tracking on Private Buses

Khristen Foss — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:06 +0000

India is not known for the best drivers in the world, and bus drivers are no exception. Not only are the roads in poor condition in a lot of places, but the traffic seems to do whatever it wants with no regard to the standard rules of the road as we are used to in the Western world. Drivers are known to be reckless and impatient, often passing anywhere they feel like it, even around corners on roads that seem to be merely one lane.

A plan was proposed back in 2008 by Dhanus Technologies, an IT company based in Chennai, calling for GPS tracking devices to be installed in over 20,000 of Kerala’s buses. They even went as far as working up an agreement with the Kerala State Private Bus Operators, but things didn’t fall into place properly and the idea died.

On January 8, State Transport Minister Shri V S Sivakumar instituted an electronic ticketing system which involves affixing GPS devices to private buses in order to track their whereabouts at any point in time, and will not only show where they are in real-time, but whether or not they are speeding. If caught speeding, an electronic ticket would be issued to the driver, holding them accountable immediately. The system will show transportation officials exactly where they are at any time using the bus’ GPS coordinates.

The GPS devices will be placed in roughly 1,300 of Kochi’s buses in the plan’s first phase. “We’ve signed an agreement with the companies to fit the GPS in the buses. This’ll enable the authorities to track buses live and determine whether they’ve violated the speed limits or not,” says Lawrence Babu, general secretary of the Private Bus Operators Federation.

Sivakumar reminded bus drivers at the launch event held in Ernakulam that they should be mindful of the presence of the GPS devices when traveling, and urged them to obey the speed limit. He said, “The move will enable submission of correct figures to the Motor Vehicles Department which will go a long way in making them accountable.” The first phase of the project is funded by both SS Electronics based in Kochi and Vandrum Technologies, based in Thiruvananthapuram. The routes that will be tracked are the buses traveling to Kochi, Aluva, Perumbavur, Angamaly, Piravom, Muvattupuzha, Paravur, and Tripunithura.

Santa Fe Tests Plan to Reduce Overcrowding in Jails with GPS Tracking

John Chapman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:41:46 +0000

Criminal recidivism rates run very high in America and almost none higher than burglary. The re-arrest rate for burglars in this country is about 74% according to the Bureau of Justice; only car thieves have a higher rate at almost 80%. Repeat incarcerations only add to the already crowded conditions of prisons and the already high cost of maintaining prisoners. To reduce overcrowding and rein in costs, Santa Fe has launched a program to outfit convicted burglars with a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet for constant monitoring. Authorities hope the round-the-clock surveillance will deter released burglars from committing further crimes. Starting with five freed convicts, Santa Fe plans to monitor and collect data to test the systems effectiveness in reducing recidivism rates among burglars.

The Cost
On average, it costs the state about $62 a day to house a criminal in a state or federal jail; this means states are paying about $30 billion a year to maintain its prison systems and take care of its prisoners. And states are paying for this through taxpayer dollars. Not only are citizens facing personal property losses of almost $2,000 per burglary, they are facing increased taxes to incarcerate repeat criminals over and over again. Most statistics show that once the initial outlay is made for the GPS tracking units, daily monitoring would cost the state approximately $10 a day per person, thus reducing the budget and freeing up jail space.

The Catch
One potential problem with the GPS tracking system rests in the hands of the Supreme Court. If they rule that 24-7 surveillance infringes on a person’s Fourth Amendment rights, Santa Fe and other cities seeking to implement GPS technology may be back to overcrowding and overspending in their jails. In anticipation of the ruling, Santa Fe has asked burglars selected for the program to sign a contract waiving their right to privacy. Those in the program are also required to obtain gainful employment, not only to give back to society but also to keep them from going back to their criminal activity.

With a burglary occurring approximately every 15 seconds in the United States, mostly by repeat offenders, states need to consider a plan of action that will not cost the taxpayer even more hard-earned money. The Chief Deputy District Attorney for Santa Fe, Doug Couleur, told ABC News in an interview, “You can’t put everyone in jails. There is no money for new jails and there are no beds in the jails. There have to be alternatives for jails and this is a pretty good one.” Used properly, GPS tracking technology in the form of monitoring, actively and passively, can help authorities reduce prison costs and prison overcrowding.

A GPS Crime Ring in Michigan

Hillary Mayfield — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:00:53 +0000

Crime rings have always existed, but in this age of technology, the rings have expanded to include cell phones, laptops, and, yes, GPS units. In Troy, Michigan, police pursued a year-long investigation after a number of in-dash GPS systems had been reported as stolen; they suspected a larger operation. In late 2011, Willie Pittman, already on probation for receiving and concealing stolen goods, was arrested in connection with a large crime ring of stolen car parts. The ring extended to multiple cities in Michigan, including Detroit, Southland, Grosse Pointe Park, and Harper Woods.

In the fall of 2010, four people were arrested in Troy for stealing GPS units from cars. Investigators discovered that these people were just the tip of a much bigger iceberg. The ring included lower-level thieves who would sell their stolen goods to middlemen for about $200. The middlemen would then refurbish the items and sell them online for thousands of dollars through sites like Craigslist and ebay. They would sell to dealers both in the United States as well as overseas. When police searched Pittman’s business and warehouses, they found thirteen pickup truck loads of stolen GPS units and car parts, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Pittman’s so-called business was only a front for his criminal activity.

One interesting case that came to light in this investigation was a young man whose in-dash GPS unit and CD player had been stolen. After a time, he took his car to the dealer to be repaired. When he got his car back and went to program the new GPS unit, he found that his settings were already in place. Then when he pushed the eject button on the CD player, a CD with his handwriting on it popped out. The dealer had unknowingly purchased a refurbished system from a middleman working in the crime ring and installed it in the victim’s car.

Warnings have gone out about keeping GPS units as well as the brackets that hold them out of view. It has even been recommended that residue left by suction cups be wiped away. Many cars today come with built-in GPS systems as part of the package, and now the only advice police can give is to keep cars locked and report stolen property immediately; the very item a thief stole may just lead authorities directly to his location.

GPS Now Viable as a Theft Prevention Method

John Chapman — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:00:23 +0000

It wasn’t very long ago that the idea of a handheld device that could show you exactly where you were on the planet, down to a range of ten feet or so, was revolutionary. Next, that technology was incorporated into a tracking system consisting of a transmitter (attached to the thing you wanted to track) and a receiver, that showed you on a display exactly where the tracked object was. This tracking system is now used in multiple fields, from keeping tabs on paroled convicts, to monitoring use of city-owned vehicles, to checking up on teenagers whose use of the family car may push the boundaries of parental guidelines. Now, one GPS device manufacturer is advertising that its trackers are a cost-effective way for retailers to combat theft.

At first, placing a GPS tracker on individual items in case someone steals them might seem grossly inefficient. After all, these devices are still relatively pricey. But exceptionally expensive items, like vehicles, cutting-edge electronics, and jewelry, just might be good candidates for tracker installation. The manufacturer, GPS Intelligence, advertises trackers that are smaller than ever before, making them easy to hide and hard for a thief to notice and dispose of. If a store owner can pull up a map showing the current location of a stolen item, his chances of recovering it and/or helping police capture and prosecute the thief are very good. In addition, notifying the public that GPS trackers are in use would be a powerful deterrent to professional shoplifters looking for an easy target.

Another valuable use for retailers is tracking shipments and containers, rather than individual products. Organized crime groups sometimes steal entire shipments en route from factories and distribution centers to stores. If these shipments contain a large number of expensive products, the loss can be devastating for its owners. A single GPS tracker hidden inside a shipment could allow its owner to keep an eye on its progress and recognize immediately if it was being taken off its original route. Quick action by police would recover the stolen goods as long as they could find them before the thieves discarded the GPS tracker.

Executives at GPS Intelligence, LLC, an Arizona-based tracker manufacturer, hope that by informing retailers of this valuable application of their products, they can sell more of their devices and help make a dent in the annual retail loss rate—currently estimated in the billions of dollars.

Winnipeg Finds Flaws in Car Thief GPS Tracking Plan

Mark Rummel — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:40:00 +0000

Winnipeg has a serious problem with car theft. Not only are there a lot of people stealing cars, but many of them are young and many are repeat offenders, indicating that without a concerted response from police, the problem will increase. Fortunately, city law enforcement has had significant success in reducing auto theft rates through a number of creative solutions, but an ambitious GPS tracking bracelet program has been hindered by an obvious flaw.

Since the time Winnipeg began fitting young convicted car thieves with GPS tracking devices in 2008, fifty-nine people have passed through the system. During that period, there have been thirty-nine instances of tampering with the trackers. In some cases, the convicts have been able to completely remove the trackers, usually by cutting through the bracelet material. In one rather comical instance, a car thief successfully removed his bracelet, only to accidentally throw it into the back seat of the car he was in the process of stealing. Obviously, the police had no problem finding the stolen car and the thief.

When a convict removes his GPS tracking device, law enforcement response is slowed by the involvement of an intermediary company. Instead of sounding an alarm at the closest Winnipeg police station, the damaged bracelet sends an alert to a response center at Omnilink, the Atlanta company that manufactures and manages the tracking system. This communication delay gives a car thief a sizable head start after ditching the device.

To make the most of this still-experimental law enforcement technology, the city of Winnipeg would need to build its own facility for monitoring GPS trackers. If the program is expanded to include violent criminals, as some political groups are requesting, the facility may be worth the expense. However, with the difficulty police are experiencing just keeping the trackers on convicts’ ankles, it seems unlikely that the method will be trusted to keep violent offenders under surveillance in its current form.

Fortunately, Winnipeg police have not made the experimental GPS tracking project the centerpiece of their auto theft crackdown. While fascinating, the tracking is only a small part of an otherwise very successful campaign. Officers have been relying more on personal visits and curfew enforcement, and will probably continue to do so until GPS bracelets are made of more durable materials.

AmberAlert.com: Bought by Amber Alert GPS

Khristen Foss — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:00:15 +0000

The company that introduced the Amber Alert GPS V3 to the market, designed to keep children safe by allowing their parents to track them, recently acquired AmberAlert.com. AmberAlert.com is a website that makes it easy for authorities of one city to alert authorities nationwide in the event of a missing child. “By adding the capabilities of AmberAlert.com to the Amber Alert GPS family, we now address the needs of law enforcement and parents,” said Carol Colombo, CEO of Amber Alert GPS.

The company has also recently made an agreement with AT&T, who is providing the connectivity for the V3 GPS tracking units. The V3 is said to be among the smallest devices currently offered to consumers, and is touted for how easy it is for any parent to use, and how secure the information gathered by this device is. The company believes that this acquisition will help them surge ahead in the arena of child safety and parent peace of mind.

“The company is honored to provide this essential service to participating states free of charge,” Columbo said. “Our stewardship of this service is consistent with our company’s commitment to child safety and security.”

Harlan Lyons, former AmberAlert.com CEO agrees that GPS tracking is the right move for all parties involved. “The goal of AmberAlert.com was to develop and refine the LEAP (Law Enforcement Alerting Portal) technology along with My Child ID and turn them over to a company that shared our commitment to helping save children’s lives …We are confident that Amber Alert GPS will take our vision to even greater heights and continue to serve the AMBER Alert Program and families everywhere.” Creators and developers of AmberAlert.com have moved to Amber Alert GPS tracking as part of the deal to assure that the transition goes smoothly.

Amber Alert GPS , founded in 2007 by Russ Thornton, began after his son disappeared for 45 minutes at a local amusement park. The panic he felt during those 45 minutes led him to develop the technology in the hopes that this terrifying situation didn’t happen to other parents. If it did, he wanted to ensure the parent had the upper hand in getting their child returned home safe and sound. With both AmberAlert.com and their agreement with AT&T, it appears they are on the right track to just about guarantee it.

GPS Devices Used to Protect Electoral Integrity in India

Khristen Foss — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:00:18 +0000

Transparency International, a corruption watchdog operating out of Berlin, conducted a study in 2005 which showed 55% of Indians have either paid bribes or done favors to make things happen politically. In fact, back in 2008, there were a whopping 120 members out of India’s 522 person parliament were facing some form of criminal charges. It doesn’t just begin when one is elected to office, but can be traced back to election day as well. There are often bribes handed out at polling places to get a voter to cast a vote in your favor, bribes of things such as liquor or money.

The District Election Office (DEO) of Ramabai Nagar has taken a step to eradicate incidents such as this by affixing GPS devices in polling officers’ vehicles. The Chief Electoral Office would like to see this program in place all over, but they don’t believe it will happen in other districts until after the next election.

Officials feel GPS devices will be most useful on election day itself, protecting against a host of problems that can arise. As soon as a disturbance at a polling booth is reported to the DEO, officials will be able to alert the appropriate authorities.

Not only will the GPS devices help direct police to problem areas, it will also alert DEO officials of problems with the voting machines themselves. District Election Officer Mayur Maheshwari says, “GPS-installed vehicles will enable us to control any situation in the shortest possible time. The sector officers and police officials will be rushed immediately to the problem area.”

The vehicles receiving the devices include the vehicles of every sector officer, returning officer, and district magistrates, as well as any other vehicle that relates to the department. They only hope these devices aid in controlling polling problems, such as defective equipment or corrupt candidates and their representatives, to restore credibility to the election process in India.