Seven arrests made in one week and over £340k of car parts found in one criminal hideout as SVR technology closes the net on thieves
TRACKER (part of the Tantalum Corporation), the stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) expert, proved crucial in leading police to three ‘chop shops’ across England, each as part of separate investigations.
In Northamptonshire, Police recovered a clutch of stolen vehicles and made two arrests. In the same week, police in Essex found over £340,000 worth of cars and parts, resulting in five arrests, whilst in the West Midlands TRACKER helped officers recover 13 vehicles, lifting the lid on another organised crime operation.
Organised vehicle thieves often operate ‘chop shops’, where they break down vehicles for parts, making them easier to sell. These recent cases offer a clear illustration of how TRACKER’s award-winning SVR technology is harnessed by UK police forces to close in on thieves.
Sergeant Sam Dobbs of Northamptonshire Police led the investigation into a stolen Land Rover Defender, which was reported by a member of the public. Luckily it was fitted with a TRACKER device and police traced the signal to a farm in Daventry, where four stolen vehicles were found and two arrests were made, stopping the criminals in their tracks.
Sergeant Sam Dobbs explains, “Thanks to the TRACKER signal, we found a stash of stolen vehicles at a farm in the heart of the Daventry district, which were connected to an organised crime incident. Our officers discovered four high-value vehicles being dismantled, presumably for parts and more property, suspected to be stolen, which is part of an ongoing investigation. So far we have identified two vehicles from Leicestershire, one from the London area and one from the Hull area – all were reported as stolen.
“We urge the public to report any suspicious activity, such as plant, tractors, diggers or high-value vehicles being moved around the area on trailers. These crimes are happening under our noses in very quiet parts of rural England. It can happen anywhere, but what prevents it happening is the vigilance and support of the rural community, such as we had this time.”
Andy Barrs, Head of Police Liaison at TRACKER, explains, “Once again, TRACKER’s close relationship with police forces across the UK is helping to catch the criminals red handed. Over one week we helped police forces across England locate crack criminal hideouts wide open, resulting in seven arrests.
“Vehicle thieves continue to target rural areas for high-value vehicles, plant and farm machinery because they think they can get away with it. These cases show that a TRACKER device significantly increases the chances of police locating stolen vehicles, wherever they are hidden. The message for vehicle thieves is clear; you can run, but you can’t hide.”
Unlike other devices, TRACKER’s unique technology can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage or shipping container. TRACKER has been reuniting car lovers with their vehicles for nearly 25 years, and it’s this expertise which makes TRACKER the leader in stolen vehicle recovery. TRACKER stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there.
