Surrey police recovered a stolen JCB 3CX digger thanks to the signal emitted from a device fitted by TRACKER, the UK’s leading stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) solutions provider. Officers were led to an isolated property while patrolling the M25 and located the JCB, along with stolen property valued in excess of £120,000, as well as discovering a hydroponics drug factory.
Takings its award-winning SVR technology to new levels, TRACKER recently launched a battery powered stolen vehicle tracking device to benefit the owners of plant and construction equipment. The unique offering does not rely on equipment having its own power source in order to operate, making it a powerful tool for police, by helping them quickly locate a wider range of stolen plant and construction equipment.
TRACKER figures show that a staggering 68 percent of all plant it recovers is done so within 24 hours of the stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) device being activated and 10 percent of those are recovered within just one hour. This is very good news for plant owners who do have SVR units installed. However, many businesses are still leaving themselves vulnerable to theft, which is an expense and inconvenience most could do without.
A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the plant. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. Unlike other tracking systems, the device works no matter where the plant is hidden, even if taken abroad, offering owners the ultimate in peace of mind should the worst happen.
Adrian Davenport, Regional Police Liaison Manager, for TRACKER, says, "An estimated £50 million to £70 million worth of plant and agricultural machinery is stolen every year, of which just five percent is ever recovered. However, fitting a tracking device can significantly increase the chances of stolen equipment being located by police and returned, as well as leading to arrests.
"This case just shows how those involved in vehicle crime are also involved in a wide range of other criminal activities. This time, they were taking part in the production and, no doubt, the distribution of controlled drugs. The discovery of the JCB is a great result and a testament to the powerful partnership TRACKER has with police forces across the UK.
TRACKER’s SVR solutions are Thatcham approved, which means businesses that invest in having a TRACKER device fitted to plant and construction equipment could benefit from a possible insurance discount. TRACKER’s growing range of products and solutions meet the ever changing needs of the assets it protects such as diggers, trailers, dumpers, excavators, cranes and much more.
