Crime 101: Don’t Wear a GPS Tracking Device When Committing a Robbery

If there were a school for criminals, one of the courses might be entitled “How to Avoid Getting Caught.” And based on the actions of one Washington state criminal, one of the lessons in that course should be called “Don’t Wear Your GPS Tracking Ankle Bracelet When Committing a Robbery.” The Omak man accused of breaking into the Okanogan Eagles Hall in early March was reportedly wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet at the time of the robbery. The individual had been convicted of robbing the same club two years ago in 2012. Police officers said that the mode of operation in March’s robbery looked similar to the suspect’s other criminal activity, so they checked the data from his tracking device. The device placed him at the scene and showed that he made several trips to the club and to a nearby motel at the time of the robbery. This time around, he and at least one partner allegedly stole $2,000. The two suspects were caught on camera as they broke in and pried open a safe.

It’s easy to shake your head and laugh at this story, but it actually reveals a common misunderstanding about GPS tracking devices. The man accused of the break-in told police officers he didn’t know that the device would track his every move, and that he thought it would only be activated if he crossed county lines. But GPS tracking can do a whole lot more than that.

What Does a Court-Ordered Ankle Bracelet Do?

Unfortunately for this criminal, a GPS tracking enabled ankle device is more sophisticated than might be imagined. While it can be programmed to send an alert if the wearer crosses a boundary (such as a county or state line), the device also records data about day-to-day movements so that it can be reviewed at a later date to ensure compliance with parole terms. The information can also be viewed in real-time if necessary.

There are several specific ways GPS ankle bracelets have benefited law enforcement:

Paroled criminals	Parolees have specific boundaries put in place to help police monitor their behavior. Ankle bracelets will send an alert if one of those boundaries is crossed.
Domestic violence cases	If a victim of domestic violence is determined to be in mortal danger, the court can require the perpetrator to wear an ankle bracelet. Both the victim and law enforcement can then be alerted if court-ordered boundaries are crossed.
Crime investigations	Officers can review ankle bracelet data to determine whether a particular individual has been involved in a crime.

Are There Any Drawbacks?

As with any effort to reduce crime, there will be individuals who try to thwart the system. In the case of GPS ankle bracelets, there are three primary concerns critics bring up:

• Overcrowded prisons have led to criminals being on the streets when they should be behind bars. It’s true that in some jurisdictions, prison overcrowding has resulted in earlier parole or house arrest for individuals who would otherwise be locked up. Departments shouldn’t necessarily rely on GPS tracking to perform the same job that a locked prison cell would perform.


• Criminals can still commit crimes while wearing the bracelets. This is also true. Especially in the case of sexual predators or domestic violence, the damage can be done before officers can reach the scene of the crime.


• Criminals can remove the bracelets. With enough effort, the ankle bracelets can be removed, giving the wearer the opportunity to commit another crime or simply run.

All of these concerns are legitimate and point to a larger issue. The bottom line is that GPS tracking is an excellent tool to help law enforcement officers perform their duty. However, there are limits to what the devices can and can’t do, and those limits should be respected. Perhaps stiffer penalties for breaking or removing a court-ordered ankle bracelet could provide greater deterrents for violating the terms of parole.

Are GPS Tracking Ankle Bracelets Reliable?

Yes. When used in the manner in which they were intended to be used, GPS tracking ankle bracelets provide police with essential data that they couldn’t otherwise obtain easily. The devices record the wearer’s movements, activate alerts when boundaries are crossed, and provide real-time data that can be viewed now or at a later time. That’s something that would require hundreds of man-hours to perform using law enforcement personnel.

The bracelets may not be the final and best solution to the problem of prison-overcrowding, but they can help cash-strapped departments perform surveillance duties that might otherwise be impossible.

As for the Washington man who wore his ankle bracelet while breaking and entering, he learned a valuable lesson about just how reliable and accurate those devices can be. It’s a lesson he won’t soon forget.

Crime 101: Don’t Wear a GPS Tracking Device When Committing a Robbery