Are PNDs being stolen in US as often as UK?

Scuby · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 24, 2006 Posts: 29

I recently bought a Tomtom Go 700. While researching here and elsewhere trying to learn more about personal navigation devices, I discovered they are a favorite target for thieves, especially TTGs. From the posts here, it seems if you have a permanent mount, or leave your suction cup mount attached when you leave your car, or even have your PND in sight while driving, your car WILL be broken into and, if there, the PND will be stolen. I have also noticed that 99% of these posts are from places other than the US, mostly the UK.

Is this mainly a European phenomenon? I live in the US and currently attach my PND to the windshield via the suction cup mount, in view while I'm driving. Before I leave the car, I take down the mount and store it under the seat. My PND sometimes goes under the seat with it, but usually (always at night) it goes with me. I thought this was sufficient but now I'm not sure.

Is there any data on the frequency of theft of PNDs in the US compared to Europe? Based on my current habits, should I be concerned? Is there something I can do in addition that would lessen the chances it will be stolen? Thanks.

Lew

MarkHewitt · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:12 am Post subject:

I think saying it WILL be broken into is a little bit strong.

It's the same as say, leaving £100 on view in the car, most of the places I park I'll come back and find it is still there. Some places I can pretty much guarantee it'll be gone.

I would guess the chance of my car being broken into with stuff on show in any one day is probably less than 1%, however that's still far too high.

monsieurcanard · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2005 Posts: 40

Hi,

It all depends where and when you park your car. Leave it in a side street or car park in a large town or city (unless it's one of the places well covered by cctc) and you may as well kiss goodbye to it. It was the same years ago with mobile phones. There are (and always will be, unless government pulls their finger out, not likely to happen) scumbags hiding in every nook and cranny just waiting for you to park up. They have nothing else to do in between collecting their benefits cheques.

If you have a fixed mount, throw a cloth over the dash, to one of these scum quickly passing an eye over the car it will hide the one thing their simple brain can register at that time, your in car GPS mount. They will not notice the cloth and especially in summer it is quite common for people to do this to shade the dash from the sun.

Regards,

Bob
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martike · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 02, 2005 Posts: 194

Reider · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 26

I wonder if it will be possible in the future to report the loss, have the Sat/Nav signal turned off and render the product useless like the facility we have with mobile phones. Sure, this would not stop all thefts, people have a way around these things, but it would certainly cut down on the amount of time it happens. When a door is broken, window smashed and other items taken as well as the hardware it is a very expensive time.

As these items get more common place and used then the industry will have to look at these safety/security features to protect and ensure future sales. If we make a noise about the issue then it is much more likely to happen.

Steve
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Acer N35 Pocket Comp. + DestinatorPN Sat/Nav
Nokia 6630 + TomTom5 Mobile Sat/Nav

MarkHewitt · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject:

But the Sat Nav manufacturers have no control over the GPS signals. As I understand it the current GPS system is set up to deny access in certain areas but this is a military only system.

Reider · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 26

Granted, but if you look at the origins of the internet, the Arpanet and its link to four Universities, the quest for a communications link that was impervious to Nuclear Attack then its evident that all these media can and do become accessible for public use. Look at email, it was never considered to become a mainstay means of communication, look at it now!

These things can and are adapted to personal use. How long will it be before we`re sat in a traffic jam, engine on tickover, Sat/Nav Reciever senses it and downloads adverts from the satelite. If theres a market for it, then it will happen, military use or not.

Steve
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Acer N35 Pocket Comp. + DestinatorPN Sat/Nav
Nokia 6630 + TomTom5 Mobile Sat/Nav

lbendlin · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject:

Back on topic - device thefts are still rare in the US simply because there are less devices installed.

Nevertheless I have recently received a yellow flyer from my local policeman telling me that my car failed a visual audit and that I should be less lenient. Police are doing routine checks in car parks and notify owners when there is stuff in plain view that could attract thieves.

So the police is certainly aware of the potential issue, and so should you.
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martike · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 02, 2005 Posts: 194

Border_Collie · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 10:57 pm Post subject:

What about Start - Settings - Password....

Prompt if device unused for 1 hour and set up a Strong alphanumeric password.

It won't stop it getting stolen but if it is it will make it useless fairly quickly.
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lbendlin · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 10:59 pm Post subject:

PNDs normally do not expose that functionality (it is limited to Pocket PCs).

Define "useless" - to me a virgin device (after hard reset) is pretty valuable. I couldn't care less about the installed software or data.
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Scuby · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 24, 2006 Posts: 29

Border_Collie · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:44 am Post subject:

peterc10 · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:15 am Post subject:

It is a major problem because over the last year or so sat nav has become THE thing to have here in the UK, with big sales pitches by all the electrical retailers. Sales have rocketed and so therefore has the market in cheap stolen units. Thieves are thieves the world over and will only steal that which they can easily sell (or want for themselves). My guess as sat nav becomes more mainstream popular in the USA you will havethe same problem.

The reason for the take off is, I suspect, the same as why mobile phones (cell phones) took off so much more quickly in Europe. They only really take off when the area coverage (map or phone signal) reaches a critical mass. We are a much more densely populated continent (the UK even more so) which makes the cost of mapping (or setting up phone cells) so much cheaper per potential consumer.
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