How To Keep Your GPS From Being Stolen

Guest Author — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:29:55 +0000

Theft of GPS devices is on the rise, to the extent that GPS devices are the most common items being stolen from cars. It’s gotten so bad that in some areas theft of GPS devices has risen 100% or more. It makes sense – GPS devices are small and valuable, with a resale value of anywhere from $100 to $1000. Thieves can sell the GPS devices to used electronics stores or on the Internet – eBay is a popular venue. GPS devices tend to be easy to spot, as many owners leave their devices mounted on their windshields. Even if you hide your GPS, many thieves are savvy enough to take note of suction-cup windshield mounts. Taking your suction-cup mount off may not even do the trick, as thieves may be able to note the mark that suction-cup mounts leave on the glass. Once they know that there’s a GPS in the car the first place they look is inside the glove compartment, the place where people usually store their devices – so much for trying to hide your GPS.

The best way to prevent your GPS from being stolen is to take it with you when you leave your car. However, this may not be practical for everyone as it can be a real hassle to try to remember to put the GPS back in the car every day and your GPS may be too heavy to carry around comfortably.

The second best thing you can do is to stop using a windshield suction-cup mount. An alternative mount is the friction mount, which attaches to the dashboard instead of the windshield. A friction mount is easier to detach than a suction-cup mount, it doesn’t leave any tell-tale marks for thieves to detect and it’s easy to hide underneath a seat. Always make sure to remove the mount when you leave your car. If you’re stuck using a windshield suction-cup mount, there are still ways you can protect your GPS device. Every time you exit your car, remove the suction-cup mount and wipe the windshield to remove the smudge left behind.

Make sure to write down the serial number and make of your GPS. Also, register your GPS with the manufacturer. If your GPS does get stolen despite your best efforts and the cops manage to recover it, you then have proof that you own the device. There’s also a hope that the thief will send the device to the manufacturer at some point to have it repaired and the manufacturer will be able to return it to you, but the odds of that happening are low.

Many GPS devices come with a lock or a password feature. Utilize this feature – it may not help prevent your GPS from being stolen and it can be easily cracked within a few days, but why not make it as difficult as possible for would-be thieves?

About the Author

Trevor Stuart is from the website Complete Insurance. They provide car insurance in Calgary and other Canadian cities.

GPS Glasses – Cool New Prototype

Gary Ruplinger — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:10:39 +0000

I’ll admit that when I first saw the headline “GPS glasses” I had visions of a heads up display in my head.

While the real mccoy isn’t quite as cool, a Japanese company has managed to turn regular old glasses into a gps navigation device. The selling point they’re offering is “safe navigation.” It allows you to keep your eyes on the road and on traffic and pedestrians rather than looking at the little map on your gps device to tell you where to go.

Here’s the video if you’d like to learn more – not sure about a release date or if they’ll ever see the light of day but I think they’re a pretty cool idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LC5OMAW-xI

GPS and Smartphone Reviews» Gps Device

How To Keep Your GPS From Being Stolen

GPS Glasses – Cool New Prototype