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Comment by ewjordan | Hacker News Reader

Question: who buys these stolen cars, and would having a tracker on one solve the problem?

From experience I know that when it comes to computers, at least in San Francisco, even if you know the exact address where 20+ stolen computers are at, the police will not engage. Are most police similarly hesitant to track down stolen cars, or is that just a weird SFPD quirk about ignoring theft?

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In the UK if you have a tracker fitted the police will absolutely go and check it out immediately after reporting, they are pretty efficient at it. What the thieves started doing though is they take the car to a car park several miles out and let it sit there for a week, without spoiling the thief's position - if the car is still there after a week it's good to take. A lot of tracker-fitted cars are recovered this way, they are usually found just sitting in parking lots, not in some dodgy garages.

What are these trackers? Can you give an example? Are they GPS transmitters?

Yes, so they are basically GPS receivers with a GSM module, constantly broadcasting the location to a central server. They usually have their own battery backup in case the main battery is removed, and have a VHS broadcaster so the vehicle can be found even underground or in a container. For example:

https://www.trackerfit.co.uk/tracker-locate.html

I have a service called "MercedesME" in my car and that provides real-time location of the vehicle at all times by using the built-in GSM modem in the car - but stupidly, in the UK it's not classified as a "tracker" for insurance purposes so having it does not get you an insurance discount.

in Europe they are often sold in parts like spare parts, it is then much easier than selling the complete car

At least for motorcycles I know you also make more money selling in parts. Of course this ignores the work spent disassembling...

Well the work might not be that much, eg

  http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=377183

Three technicians with handtools vs a Honda Civic => six minutes

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hhNwcaEwHI

Then you can track it all the way to the shipping container

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