Don't leave your GPS in the car!

[d@rk51d3]

Just a quick warning.

You may have heard of alot of cases, where vehicles have been broken into, and not much more than the GPS is taken. (often at the footy)

Wonder why?

They then use the GPS to track back to your house, breifly case the joint and then help themselves to the good stuff (since they know you're still out).

Don't give them the chance.;)

[vnx205]

Check out what snopes.com has to say about this.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/intent/gps.asp

It could happen. But then again thieves could probably just as easily find some rego papers, an old bill or some other bit of paper in the glove box which would also give them your address.

Why would the thieves assume that if the car is at the footy that everyone from that family, including the spouse, the teenage kids and the vicious dog are also at the footy?

It is a story that has been doing the rounds for a few years and while it is possible, there is not much evidence that it is constitutes a significant number of burglaries.

To a large extent, it is another urban myth.

[d@rk51d3]

Just happened recently here. (to an old schoolmate)

Offenders were eventually caught though, after hitting several GPS locations.

[Landy Smurf]

it ****es me off people breaking in and stealing im glad to here that these dickheads got caught

[flagg]

Not long ago a murder case in WA was solved as the culprit stole a car with a GPS in it. Pretty much all GPS devices used in cars (even the crazy Chinese ones) record their location in a file on the internal memory ever few seconds. Police were able to trace back the time and location and velocity of the stolen car once the guy came under suspicion.

He found it very hard to explain why he drove the car to the place where the victim was killed, stopped for 20 min, then drove like hell to where the body was found, then again stopped for 30min, then casually drove home again. All this at the right (or should that be wrong... heh) times.

As a privacy nut, I can't stand the LI covert surveillance (like these things tracking us and storing it in an encrypted file that only LI have the key too.... ) but sometimes it does make me smile.

Given the amount of $50-$100 GPS devices I see in the pawn shops I'm not surprised they are getting stolen often.

[adm333]

The other way to reduce the risk is to avoid setting up your GPS with the label "HOME". You know its your home so call it something different or nothing at all, just a favourite.

Thieves cannot target your home this way, even with your GPS, if you haven't set a home address.

[austastar]

Hi,
Yep, my son had a GPS stolen and it had 'Home' listed.

Stressed for weeks about it, but nothing happened.

The replacement got 'home' added, but far enough away to be of no use to anyone else.

cheers

[cartm58]

I must be in the in between generation, l don't have a GPS l have a street directory and memory for where l have been before. Don't need a colour box telling me where to turn right or left in 300 metres.

[scarry]

I must be in the in between generation, l don't have a GPS l have a street directory and memory for where l have been before. Don't need a colour box telling me where to turn right or left in 300 metres.

Well,i didn't want one,but 5yrs ago,my wife insisted i get one,& one turned up as a present,In my job i go to around 5 to 10 different addresses every day & found it fantastic.I had used a street directory for around 28yrs previously.

Now the Garmin froze this morning & i couldn't believe how much i missed it for a few hours today.Hopefully it will sort itself out once the battery goes flat.If not i will have to get another.The PITA,though is loading in all the favourites,etc.

It is also very handy bushwalking,etc,as the vehicle,or whatever becomes a favourite,so you can backtrack to it easily.Very good also for night shooting as you can find a location the next day,easily,& accurately.

Don't know how i will ever do with out one.

[Xul]

Never had one - never will.

I think the whole 'HOME' thing is overrated anyway. I personally keep a heap of stuff related to my car in the car which they could get my address from.

[GuyG]

Another reason not to leave them in the car when parked is that they can overheat which may cause damage which is not covered by warranty. I have seen a few cases where they would overheat even when the car is being driven with AC on due to the units location on the dashboard

[austastar]

Hi,
we have recently tried a couple of Navigators, once when going to Melbourne, and I haven't driven there for years, and we used to use maps with out too much drama, but this time I was by myself.
Very useful in that situation.
Don't need one on a day to day usage living in Hobart, but I would not go to the mainland again without one.
cheers

[davewalk]

Used one in Tasmania on Christmas holidays. Too lazy to look at map to plot course from Cradle Mountain back to Devonport. Lady in the box took us us through some pretty strange places but we got to see parts of Tas we wouldn't have otherwise.

[Ausfree]

"HOME" on my GPS is the local pub, enough said!!!:)

[blackbuttdisco]

GPS does not get the hump, abuses you, gets cranky or divorces you if you take wrong turn. It just gets on with the job of getting you from A to B. Is more alert too. Best $147 I ever spent at the local home ware store. .

[harry]

Never had one - never will.

I think the whole 'HOME' thing is overrated anyway. I personally keep a heap of stuff related to my car in the car which they could get my address from.
and where did you park it?

crims don't just target cars with a gps on the dash.

err, to add to the 'home thing'
the 'home' feature is really good if you are somewhere and do not know the best way home, but just set your jigger to show home some miles from your home, you know the way from there, don't you.