Car GPS Security

noelma

Like many, I am considering purchasing a mobile GPS for my car. Apparently, however, these devices are being targeted by car thieves because they are easy to resell. It's a big problem in the UK, and now becoming a big problem in Ireland. I read that the Gardai are concerned that it is increasing the number of car break ins.
We had to wait decades before car radios were fitted with codes which made them worthless to thieves. Why oh why are GPS units not fitted with secure PIN on power up? Even my lowly mobile phone has that level of security.
Are any manufacturers heading in this direction? It would certainly influence my purchase choice!

DannyBuoy

Garmin have something like that, only prob is that it wont stop the scumbags breaking into the car and taking it (I have first hand experience ). If it doesn't work for them they will just fling it over the closest ditch and go again.

nava

noelma wrote:

Why oh why are GPS units not fitted with secure PIN on power up?

Hi

I have a Tomtom One and it does have that feature, you need to set it up using the PC with the Tomtom Home software, is done in the same menue as where you put the owner name.

Regards

Aquos76

All garmin nuvi and streetpilot ranges can be set up to use a pin and also a sercret location in case you happen to forget you pin.

sharkman

On my Tomtom , You set your pin and set up an "Owner" screen , on this I have my name , phone number . It reads " If found , contact ******* on ******* for reward .


Now , if scumbag "A" steals the unit and finds that he cant move it on or indeed moves it on to some poor sole who finds that he cant use the unit because of the password , one of them may call to collect their "reward " for "Finding" my "abandoned" unit ...

Aquos76

sharkman wrote:

On my Tomtom , You set your pin and set up an "Owner" screen , on this I have my name , phone number . It reads " If found , contact ******* on ******* for reward .


Now , if scumbag "A" steals the unit and finds that he cant move it on or indeed moves it on to some poor sole who finds that he cant use the unit because of the password , one of them may call to collect their "reward " for "Finding" my "abandoned" unit ...

Now that is a very good idea. Is that standard on all Tom Toms or just something you have set up.

sharkman

Not sure , But I think its on them all .

danjo

You can set up owner and Pin
Only problem is you can override this with a hard reset.

Aquos76

danjo wrote:

You can set up owner and Pin
Only problem is you can override this with a hard reset.

Ah right, if thats the case, it not ideal. The only way to recover the garmin's is to send them back to the manufacture with proof of purchase, as far as i know.

311

Garmin make it easy to disconnect the device and take it with you.

I had a gps stolen ,because of the design of the unit ,meant it was too akward to take with me all the time.

Also on the garmin ,you can save a location as an unlocking place. So you drive to a secret location and set it as your unlocking location.

Trojan911

Can I just offer some anti theft tips....


First off, try not to display your Sat Nav. Try to locate it away from the windscreen. Try putting it down by your gear box, stereo system etc using the sticky pad that accompanies it.

If you have to put it on your windscreen then when you remove it wipe the screen clear of any circular marks it may leave.

Take it away with you when you leave your vehicle. Most Sat Nav's will slip into your pocket easily. Be prepared to carry it after you leave your vehicle.

Hide the peripherals that come with it.

And last of all, don't leave it in your vehicle overnight.

The above applies to any property you may keep in your vehicle..

Hope this helps... All the best ...

TJ911...

stevecrow74

can i just ad this warning to those who leave there gps unit in the car...


consider this.. a theif steals your car from either work or while shopping.. there is a gps unit in the car.. now they obviously know you are not home by the location of the car. and if your shopping - your not at home


i could nearly gaurentee that if you turn any gps unit on amd hit the home button it will take you with directions back to your house..

so if a car is stolen with the home set in the gps, ther is a good chance that the house will be broken into as well.. scary i know.. but it is already happening in the states and in the UK...

how to combat this... instead of having the home button set for you house address have it set for a gardai station.. so that if your car is stolen within a few minutes of you noticing it missing, all you have to do is phone the gardai station tell them to keep an eye out for your car and they will hopefully catch the culprit red handed....

Trojan911

stevecrow74 wrote:

how to combat this... instead of having the home button set for you house address have it set for a gardai station.. so that if your car is stolen within a few minutes of you noticing it missing, all you have to do is phone the gardai station tell them to keep an eye out for your car and they will hopefully catch the culprit red handed....

I like it.....

TJ911...

Del2005

stevecrow74 wrote:

can i just ad this warning to those who leave there gps unit in the car...


consider this.. a theif steals your car from either work or while shopping.. there is a gps unit in the car.. now they obviously know you are not home by the location of the car. and if your shopping - your not at home


i could nearly gaurentee that if you turn any gps unit on amd hit the home button it will take you with directions back to your house..

so if a car is stolen with the home set in the gps, ther is a good chance that the house will be broken into as well.. scary i know.. but it is already happening in the states and in the UK...

how to combat this... instead of having the home button set for you house address have it set for a gardai station.. so that if your car is stolen within a few minutes of you noticing it missing, all you have to do is phone the gardai station tell them to keep an eye out for your car and they will hopefully catch the culprit red handed....

Don't forget that if they have you car keys, which they need to steal most cars now, they will also more then likely also have your house keys. So they don't even have to break in and we all know how many people react to house alarms.

They did that on the Real Hustle on BBC3. Set up a fake valet parking, took car and house keys. Hit home on GPS and robbed them blind.

I like the idea of the Garda station. There is also the benefit that you could nearly know what route they will take, if you had a 2nd GPS:D