Companies That Track Your Stolen Car When Police Can’t Keep Up
With vehicle thefts on the rise, private companies are stepping in to recover stolen cars when police efforts fall short
England, Wales, London, Vehicle Theft, Tracking Technology, Private Investigators
London: Did you know that nearly 130,000 cars were stolen in England and Wales last year? It’s a huge problem, and many of these vehicles end up being used for more crimes or sold for parts.
What’s even crazier is that over 75% of these thefts go unsolved. The police close most cases without finding a suspect, and even when they do, not many get charged.
In London, the situation is even worse—90% of vehicle thefts remain unsolved. Other areas like Essex and Sussex also see high rates of unresolved cases.
The police admit that they prioritize violent crimes over vehicle thefts, which means stolen cars often get less attention. But here’s where it gets interesting: tracking technology has come a long way.
Now, car manufacturers are putting trackers in their vehicles, and you can even buy covert devices to install later. Some trackers send constant updates, while others only activate occasionally to avoid detection by thieves.
If the thieves don’t find the trackers, private investigators jump in to help recover the stolen cars. Many of these investigators are former police officers or military personnel.
Since budget cuts have reduced police presence on the roads, these tracking companies are thriving. Ahron Tolley, a former cop turned investigator, says there’s definitely a growing demand for their services.
When a car is reported stolen, victims still need to notify the police, but then companies like Tolley’s can head straight to the last known location of the vehicle.
Sometimes they recover the car themselves, and other times they set up surveillance and call the police when they have eyes on it.
These investigators are spread out across the UK, using their training to assess risks before trying to recover vehicles. Often, stolen cars are parked in residential areas or car parks, left there by thieves who are testing if the trackers are still active.
In some cases, the cars have already made it to chop shops, where they’re dismantled for parts. If they find a stolen vehicle, they can clamp it or even escort the owner to retrieve it.
Neil Thomas, a director at AX Track, shared a story about tracking a stolen Mercedes. He spotted the car, but then a thief jumped in and drove off. Luckily, he got a picture and sent it to the police.
He also tracked a stolen Range Rover to a garage in Dagenham, where thieves were stripping it for parts. It’s wild how these criminals operate, often parking stolen cars in public places to see if they have trackers.
John Mussett, another investigator, says many stolen vehicles are right under our noses. He once found a stolen Range Rover parked at a nice pub, where no one would think twice about it.
Mussett believes the rise in vehicle thefts is partly due to police budget cuts, which have led to fewer resources for investigating these crimes.
As car thieves get smarter, private investigators are stepping up to fill the gap. They don’t let car owners see tracking data for safety reasons, but they do share info with the police.
Sharon Naughton from the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service says private tracking companies can often recover stolen vehicles faster because they focus solely on this issue.
While the police have to prioritize more serious crimes, the collaboration between them and tracking companies is improving. But as technology advances, so do the tactics of car thieves.
These criminals are experts at what they do, using scanners to find tracking devices and even cutting into cars to disable alarms. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse.