Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Stolen satnav guides thieves to owner's home

24 Aug 2007, 2:52 pm

Police have warned drivers not to leave their journey home programmed into their satnav systems following the theft of a device from a car at Alton Towers theme park which directed ne'er-do-wells to the owner's Shropshire home where they promptly made off with a £20k Saab convertible.

By Lester Haines for The Register.

This story has been reproduced with permission.

According to the Telegraph, West Mercia Constabulary's Det Sgt Chris Walsh, said: "If your car is broken into, particularly if you have an in-built satnav as part of the dashboard, all the offenders have to do is search for 'home' or similar and it will take them right to the door of your empty residence.

"In this case, the satnav took them straight to the door of the victim's house and they then stole a £20,000 convertible from the driveway. The vehicle was later recovered."

Walsh cautioned: "If you must have a setting saved to get you home, only ever put your town in to get you back to familiar territory. Don't use the postcode."

Better still, police suggested, remove the satnav from the car altogether.