Vehicles are stolen every day across the United States. Often, there is little police can do to find these vehicles, especially if the thief cannot be identified. No one sees the vehicle stolen, or if they do, they are unable to follow it and quickly lose sight of it. Before long, the car or truck or farm equipment is gone, sold on the black market, and forever lost to the owner. But vehicles that are part of a GPS fleet tracking system can be recovered, often within hours.
A GPS fleet tracking system keeps tabs on a number of vehicles at once. Each vehicle is equipped with a GPS tracking unit; this unit communicates with satellites to determine the vehicle’s exact location, coordinating latitude and longitude with maps of the area’s terrain and roads. This location is relayed to a software system that shows the fleet managers where each vehicle is at any given moment. The software also records information such as speed, idle time, and route so that it can later be evaluated. This information is commonly used to increase efficiency and keep drivers accountable for their work. But it also can be used to prevent theft or locate a stolen vehicle.
The City of Melville uses GPS fleet tracking for asset management and employee safety. One of their security officers was patrolling a community suburb when he was attacked and his vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was equipped with a concealed GPS device, so the command center and police department coordinated efforts to track the vehicle and apprehend the thief. The thief showed his desperation as he rammed another vehicle in his attempt to get away and was tasered in order to be caught. He was arrested and later sentenced, and the vehicle was recovered.
Without the GPS fleet tracking unit on the car, the story may have ended quite differently. The security officer would not have received help so quickly because his location would not have been already known. The vehicle might have been sold whole or in parts and never recovered. A dangerous criminal might still be operating. If other cities and private companies want to protect their vehicles and their employees, they should follow Melville’s example and install GPS fleet tracking.
(Article written by Greg Bartlett for Rocky Mountain Tracking.)
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