Portable GPS Thefts are on the Rise

From an article by Bob Sullivan on msnbc.com:

"By many accounts, gadget theft from cars is on the rise. In fact, the most recent FBI statistics indicate that while the rate of auto thefts around the country has remained flat in recent years, gadget thefts from vehicles rose about 30 percent from 2000 to 2004. And why not? Our cars have become rolling offices. My cigarette lighter now rivals the back of my stereo in its spaghetti-like appearance. By my recent count, I have in my car on a typical day better than 10 gadgets clogging up my cup holders:

*A cell phone, with car charger.
*A satellite radio, its antenna, and its power adapter.
*My iPod, its car charger and its FM modulator.
*A power inverter, in case I need to use my laptop or recharge my digital camera.
*And, once upon a time, I had a GPS device and its mount.

When you consider that I have about $2,000 worth of music on my iPod, a car gadget thief could strike gold by rummaging through my seats. And given all those wires, it's pretty easy for any casual window shopper to see that my car doubles as an electronics store for criminals.

Gadget thieves do just this kind of shopping, says Fred Corrubia, chief of police in Paramus, N.J. Situated just outside New York City, Paramus is home to one of America's densest collections of shopping malls. And earlier this year, the city was hit by a rash of GPS thefts at mall parking lots -- 43 units stolen during three weeks in January alone. The problem became so severe that Corrubia set up a GPS theft task force and engineered a sting to catch gadget thieves.

"It's a crime of convenience," Corrubia says. "It takes nothing to remove them. ... We were getting killed by this."

Garmin, manufacturer of several popular GPS units, recently introduced a piece of software called Garmin Lock that prevents criminals from using the devices after they are stolen. Consumers must enter a four-digit code before using the device; those who forget their PIN can bring the gadget back to a Garmin store, and it will be reset. Otherwise, the unit is useless.

Of course, Garmin Lock won't reassemble your shattered car window. But such antitheft devices will slowly drain the market for stolen devices. In the long run, that will help.

For now, GPS and gadget users need to beef up their sense of security. It's not enough to stash the gadget into your glove box when you park. You've got to hide all the hints for criminals, too -- all the car chargers and power adaptors that act like gadget breadcrumbs. And I can tell you from experience, never leave a dashboard mount in plain view.

"All you're doing is telling that guy there is probably a GPS unit in there," says Garmin's Ted Gartner. And even if you've taken the GPS with you, the mount on the dashboard might lead to a smashed window and a disappointed thief.

Also worth noting, stolen gadgets from cars are not usually covered by auto insurance, says Jean Salvatore of the Insurance Industry of America. Those with homeowner or renter insurance could file a claim through those policies. Those without are generally out of luck."

read the full story here.

***Also, please note that our GPS and DVD systems are installed in the dash. By being mounted and secured in the dash, they should be covered by your car insurance (usually a much lower deductible than the homeowner's insurance, which covers items not secured to the vehicle). Also, because our GPS and DVD players are mounted in the factory radio opening, they are much more difficult to remove than the average portable Garmin, Magellan, or Tom Tom. If a thief is comparing your car to the one next to it, and they have the portable unit visible, the car next to yours is an easy target, even though your GPS is a much nicer unit.