Been looking into finding a way to track my truck if it gets stolen. I've heard of LoJack but after reading into it, it seems as if it's not all that great. Does the ford connect or something like that offer a software that allows you to track your vehicle even if it is in a garage? I heard a lot of the gps trackers don't work inside buildings.

Thanks!

 

If it gets stolen, you don't want it back. Get good insurance, so if your truck gets stolen, you get a rental. If the cops don't find it, you get a new truck. Much better solution. Chances are they would have driven the crap out of it and maybe did drugs in it or who knows what else.

 

IIRC, LoJack only work in certain areas.

http://www.lojack.com/Buy-LoJack-Products/Check-Coverage

Plus, if you truck ever got stolen and if you usually don't find it within 24hrs, it's gone. It's either being chopped up sold as parts or used in drug dealing/ trafficking so it'll be torn up.

 

Do you really want it back after dirty mike and the boys are done with it?

 

Like Home Security, Layers of Protection/Prevention is best. For your Truck, first thing is NEVER leave it running/unattended. Don't leave the FOB inside the vehicle when parked. You can get a wallet/pouch that you can put the FOB in when you exit the vehicle that blocks RFID signals.

Ford uses a system that's better than most...Another option would be a Club Steering Wheel lock....highly visible and effective.


Reference Lojack...They cover major Metro Areas...They use a hidden Transmitter with it's own battery. When you report your Vehicle as Stolen, you will get a Case number for Insurance,etc, and a NCIC number. NCIC is National Crime Information Center. When a Lojack I.D. number is entered NCIC, it becomes activated and starts transmitting a signal.

Lojack has put systems into Police Units that consists of a Lojack Receiver and several short roof antenna to pick up and track their signal. When a number appears on the Receiver Screen, the Target is verified than tracked.

Most Vehicles are recovered within a few hours..if not recovered within 24 hours, Lojack will refund your purchase price.

Last, and most Important, Always be aware of your surroundings.

 

Hidden kill switch.....hope it doesn't get stolen.
Mind you here most stolen vehicles are now stolen via a tow truck so that does not help either.

 

As a law enforcement officer in a large city, we do not have any cars with LoJack tacking capabilities any more. Only saw a few years ago and none over the last 5 or so years. Seems pointless to me....

 

I don't have an opinion either way about LoJack tracking but j am curious why you think it is pointless and if being in law enforcement helped to create that opinion.

I also have a couple other questions for you. I have seen several times posted on this forum that if your vehicle is stollen that you don't want it back and you would be better off if insurance replaced it. Is that something you would agree with, being in law enforcement?

Is it common for vehicles to be recovered after being stolen? Does GPS tracking assist with the recovery or are the thieves smart and disable it before taking the vehicles to the shop to be stripped?

Sorry for the thread hijack.

 

To live track a activated LoJack vehicle the squad car must have the LoJack tracking capability. I have seen 6 cars out of our entire fleet of cars ( 2,500 officers on my department) so even if you have activated it, officers typically can not live track the vehicle. LoJack may be able to tell you where it is once stationary, but a live track is not likely.

As for not wanting it back.... that depends on what it's stolen for. I have seen them taken just for joy rides, taken to be sued as a get away car to a different crime, and taken to be parted out. If taken for a joy ride or used in another crime, it's probably been drove hard but not crazy damaged.... if it's parted out or been in a car chase, it's probably received damage of some kind.

The only thing I have seen actively help recover a stolen car is onstar and an IPhone left in a car.

 

Don't forget drug residue. Your truck gets stolen, you get it back, and you end up getting checked out sometime later by a canine unit, or swab test (more likely if you ever cross a border but possible any time) and they find drug residue, or even worse, a baggie of drugs that fell under the seat or something. Then, you won't be going anywhere for a while, even if it eventually checks out and they believe you.