Police in Vermont are warning the public about car thieves in Montreal placing GPS trackers on vehicles with Vermont license plates. It might seem like an ironic twist considering people put trackers on their own vehicle because of car theft, but we’ve seen this sort of thing before.
The infamous Belltown Hellcat has been busted.
The warning came from Burlington Police Department after two residents reported finding GPS trackers on their vehicles after they spent time across the border in Montreal, reports the Times Colonist.
Apparently, these thieves are using inexpensive Apple AirTags as well as other trackers to see where vehicles are kept in Vermont. This sort of thing isn’t contained strictly to Montreal, Canada, or even North America. So no matter where you live, you need to watch out for these schemes.
Usually, these trackers are used to see where the car sits unattended for long periods of time. Then, the thieves can arrive there are the appropriate time, hack through the security system using sophisticated handheld devices, then be on their way with your vehicle.
To guard against this risk, you need to be aware of anything that looks unusual on your car. Thieves are counting on you being oblivious to something in your wheel well, on your gas door, or placed somewhere else.
With Apple AirTags, if you have an Apple phone it will warn you that one has been tracking your movements, giving you the option of having it make noise so you can more easily find it.
While this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about car thieves using GPS trackers to steal cars, we’re also sure this won’t be the last. This trick has been used successfully for some time, long before trackers became commonly used by normal people to help recover their vehicle if it’s stolen.
Image via Apple
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