Don't be the next GPS theft victim

GPS theft is on the rise, and quite common. GPS theft is a crime of opportunity and it can easily happen to you unless you take the proper precautions.

Here’s a true story from earlier today, names have been omitted to protect the innocent. We met friends in Dallas this weekend. We both drove from different directions in Texas to meet there and have a nice weekend. This morning when we went to pack the luggage into the cars my friend came back all agitated. His passenger side window was smashed and his GPS had been stolen.

We went to the front desk to inform them of the theft and to have them notify the police of the crime. Another man was at the desk doing the same thing, as his rental car had been broken into and his GPS was stolen.

As the story unfolded, contrary to what we initially assumed, these thefts occurred this morning in broad daylight and just moments apart. Generally speaking you’d expect a crime like this to occur in the middle of the night under cover of darkness. The brazenness of the thieves is quite disturbing.

My car was parked near my friend’s car but my GPS was not stolen. Here’s why: Both my friend and the other gentlemen left their GPS units on the brackets affixed to the windshield of their respective cars. I did not have mine stolen, because my GPS was stowed in the glove box.

As I mentioned earlier, these are crimes of opportunity and also desperation. The risk of being caught stealing something like a GPS, which probably wouldn’t fetch much from a fence or pawn shop, hardly seems worth the risk yet it was done twice within minutes in the daytime.

What can we learn from this incident and how can we protect ourselves?

• Remove the GPS from the windshield or dashboard mount. Remove it even if you’re just running into the corner grocery to pick something up. These thieves can smash your window and grab your GPS in a matter of seconds.
• Remove the bracket from the windshield or dashboard. The bracket is a giveaway that you own a GPS and the thieves might assume that you were too lazy to remove the unit from the car and the GPS is just stowed in the glove box.
• Wash or wipe off the ring the GPS mounting bracket leaves on your windshield. While this may seem like overkill it is a telltale sign, much like the bracket, that you own a GPS. Again, the thieves may assume there is a GPS in the car and break in just to look.
• Take the GPS with you. If your car is broken into at least they won't get the GPS. If, for some reason, removing it is impossible at least lock it in the glove box which will slow down or dissuade the thieves.

There’s no doubt in my mind that had the pickings been a little slimmer today the thieves might have broken into my car to see if the GPS was in the glove box. You see, I had left the bracket on the windshield and put the GPS in the glove box just as they would have assumed. Due to the fact that there were easier targets I was lucky and my car was skipped.

Though I have known better for a long time, I will now be certain to modify my GPS habits. I hope you’ll do the same and avoid the expense and hassle of getting ripped off. Trust me, taping cardboard over the missing window and driving home without your GPS is no fun, just ask my buddy. Don’t let it happen to you!