Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues

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Wed 8 Dec 2010 17:08
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - GregH

Good Evening,

Today I had my Range Rover stolen from my drive while the key was in it and the engine was running deicing for a whole 5 minutes. Which with hindsight was stupid!!!

During the ensuing panic, I found that the Range Rover may have had a tracker installed at some point. Following a number of calls to tracker they confirmed that it did indeed have a tracker installed.

I asked them to turn the tracker on and offerred to pay the premiums from the point it expired up to date. They have refused. I explained I was not aware that there was a tracker as it was a second hand car.

I have also contacted the police and asked them to assist me in this as it would A) Recover the car and B) would potentially help arrest the thiefs.

The Police sympathise but will not assist.

So I guess my question is

1) How can I insist or sweet talk Tracker into enabling the device so the Police can recover the car?

2) Is there any legal precedent on this type of situation as I cannot believe that there is a genuine oportunity to recove a 20K car, the owner is willing to pay the fees to tracker, the police have an oportunity to potentially arrest the thieves.

But no one seems to care!!

Any advice that you can give would be most apreciated.

Regards,

Greg.

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Wed 8 Dec 2010 17:37
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - Dutchie

Sorry to hear about your predicament Greg.

I can't believe that the police is not putting more pressure on the tracker company to recover your car.

Why is the tracker company so difficult if you are willing to pay have they got no legal requirement to assist you? What is your insurance company saying maybe they could give the tracker company a ring and ask them why they won't reinstall the tracker.

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Wed 8 Dec 2010 17:51
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - bonzo dog

Hi Greg, sorry to hear that the vermin that pollute this country nicked your car. I too leave my engine running whilst it's de-icing but I stand next to it / block it it with my wife's car & vice versa. Your's isn't the first & won't be the last this Winter, although I guess that won't be any consolation to you.

I'm afraid I can't give you any advice, only an explanation of Tracker's stance. You see if it became known that people only needed to pay the annual subscriptions IF they get their car nicked, Tracker would be out of business. It's like any insurance, it costs as little as it does because many people pay but (reletively) few call on its services.

Perhaps you can prevail on Tracker to assist if you agree to buy a 3 year subscription? Just a thought.

Good luck

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Thu 9 Dec 2010 06:45
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - LucyBC

Its about negotiation.

Email me: lucy.bonhamcarter@autolaw.co.uk and I will talk to them.

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Tue 14 Dec 2010 11:05
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - injection doc
Has greg H found his car & did the tracker help ?
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Tue 14 Dec 2010 14:47
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - james the plumber

hi

this happened to a friend of mine but with a motor bike. he got around it by telling a small lie. he said that the keys were left in the house by the door but with the door open and that they where stolen. if things are taken off the drive the police dont want to know, sorry.

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Thu 16 Dec 2010 10:01
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - GregH

All,

Many thanks for your advice and kind words, after posting this message I contacted the MD of tracker and explained my circumstances. I absolutely apreciated their business stance but after discussion of the circumstances I managed to come to an agreement with the MD. I agreed to pay from the cancellation date of the policy taken out by the previous owner + the payment to continue. The tracker was then enabled and the details passed to the police. I would like to take the oportunity to thank tracker for their help in this matter as I know they did not need to.

The police are doing what they can but 1 week later no news which I cant help but think I have seen the last of the Rangey. Aparently 4 4x4 were stolen within a week in the Lincolnshire/Stamford and surronding villages.

So please do not make the mistake that I did.

Have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards,

Greg.

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Thu 16 Dec 2010 11:05
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - injection doc
thank you for the update Greg, I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Its most likley been dismantled or in a container on ts way to Cypress or the middle east.

Hopefully others will realise the value of a tracker if its kept up to date.
I'm glad that the tracker company were helpfull, but they are in business to make money & like any subcription based product many won't pay untill they need it so they have to take a stance.

I wish you a happy x-mas & lets hope it turns up.
best Rgds IDoc
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Thu 16 Dec 2010 11:56
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - gfewster

Even if you had the tracker enabled from the start, what happens with the data? I'm interested to know how this works.

Presumably they don't pass the tracked location details back to you as the owner so that you can go and administer summary justice?

So if they pass it to the Police, what makes anyone think that the Police would move quickly enough to recover the vehicle before the tracker could be removed or the vehicle placed inside a shipping container? Would the Police do anything at all?

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Thu 16 Dec 2010 18:07
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - GregH

I am not 100% sure how it works, my understanding (feel free to correct me) is that the tracker is always on sending out a signal via VHF. Once the car is reported stolen the ID of the tracker is flagged as stolen. The police have tracker monitoring equipment and if the car passes either a tracker equiped police vehicle / station etc. It flags up as stolen. The Police then take care of dealing with it. There are some devices that report a GSM position however as the companies point out it is easy to jam this with a £30 jammer. Aparently VHF waves cannot be jammed and will work in containers etc (As long as its is the UK)

As you point out you are dependant on the Police being quick enough to deal with the incident once the tracker is detected and reported as stolen. But as you state once its in a container on its way out of the country or in parts then its gone regardless of the tracker.

Regards,

Greg.

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Thu 16 Dec 2010 20:47
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - injection doc

on occasions they will leave it parked up for 2-4 weeks just to see if it aquires attention and thats often how they know whether a tracker is fitted. If the vehicle doesn't attract any attention after a few weeks then the theives get on with doing what they want.

Under your circumstances it was most likley an oppertunist trying to travel to another part of the country for free & it may be dumped somewhere.

If he was out for a particular target he struck very lucky.

Fingers crossed yet. 50/50 as to whether it may turn up, hows your luck with the ins company ?

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Fri 21 Jan 2011 08:02
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - GregH

So I thought it was time I updated you all on the ongoing saga. As strongly expected after a detailed debate with the insurance company they informed me that as the car was running with the key even for 5 mins on the drive I was not covered and they would be refuting the claim. As is normal I was offerred the option to withdrawi my clam which to be honest I did as the wording is very specific.

So 6 weeks on thing have taken a turn or two for the better!

I decided that I would give myself until the end of January before looking to replace the car on the off chance that it would resurface. Well it has. I spotted the car for sale on a well known car website.

I contacted the police however we were too late as the car was priced at £5K under book it surprisingly sold within hours. However the Police were able to work back (obviously I cannot share with the forum their methods) and this has pointed to a number of cars etc. From this they were able to trace my now ringed car and it was recovered yesterday.

The car had been cloned So I am a few days away from getting my Range Rover returned.

The realy good news is due to my spot the Police have been able to recover a number of vehicles and the obvious leads that this generates.

Sadly though some poor innocent buyer has lost his cash.

I would like to take the oportunity though to praise the Police they have been superb throughout this process and one particular officer has gone more than the extra mile working 12/14 hour days we have been in discussion at 7 in the morning and 11 at night from my expierience the Police officers are desperate to do the right thing quickly but the ammount of constraints they have to operate under in my opinion hands and advantage to the criminal. Hopefully common sense will prevail over the next few years and the Police will be able to operate a bit more freely.

Any way war and peace over and thanks to all for their kind words of support throughout.

Regards,

Greg.

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Fri 21 Jan 2011 14:35
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - injection doc

Greg, great to hear an update, at least its surfaced! whether you decide to keep it is another but lets hope you get it back eventually.

Excellent news about cracking a gang of ringers! well done to the police, normally its difficult to get them involved or interested! so well done.

I guess you wont leave your keys in a car anymore ? always be very carefull at petrol stations, my mate lost his lexus at a fuel station, just filled up & left keys in when he went to pay. that turned up 9 months later battered to bits!

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Fri 21 Jan 2011 15:55
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - GregH
Yes its fair to say I have learned a number of lessons in this little adventure. Keys being one of them :-)
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Sat 28 Sep 2013 12:24
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - c01olin

iT is indeed necessary to take precaution that the thieves are using tech gadget to help with their stealing and anti-tracking.

Edited by Avant on 28/09/2013 at 21:15

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Sat 28 Sep 2013 14:14
Range Rover Vogue - Car Theft / Tracker Issues - FP

Spam?

(I think so - link removed. Thanks FP.)

Edited by Avant on 28/09/2013 at 21:15

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