Trackers

[18 stoner]

After seeing Omniata's thread on the micro dots, i was wondering if anyone uses trackers on such as chippers?

 

It sounds to me like a combination of micro dots on kit would be great for the opportunist thief on such as saws, (this i might give a go) combined with trackers on such as chippers and trucks.

 

I still believe insurance is a must, but purely on the basis of inconvenience, getting your own kit back can sometimes be best.

 

So, what thoughts do people have about viability of trackers on top of the insurance premium we already pay, and do they actually work?

[dandkgroundcare]

trackers do work as a mate of mine had his tw150 stolen when on holiday came back reported it and activated the tracker within 2 weeks found it parked up in a caravan site.....

[18 stoner]

So, is there a threashold on price for these that actually work, as i know there are plenty of variations on the market?

[nepia]

Trackers (good ones) definitely work. I know of two examples: a chipper stolen in Peckham was tracked the next day to a lockup in New Cross and in Reigate some years ago the Old Bill tracked one to a yard that was full of JCBs, diggers, other plant - all stolen. You'd like to think that you'd get an insurance discount for fitting one. Whether it would be a big enough discount to cover the cost of installation and maintenance may be down to negotiation but look at that Reigate example; hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gear recovered thanks to one tracking device. A good hit.

[Nick Watkins]

I have a JCB Mini Digger, bought it new so wanted maximum protection and I therefore fitted a tracker (I got a reduction in my insurance for doing so also)

 

It's an excellent system, on two occasions I have forgotten to call to tell them I am about to move my digger and within a mile of me moving it I get a call from the company to say my digger is on the move and did I know about it.

 

From memory I paid about 350 to get it fitted and first year subs and then it's something like 120 sub each year after.

 

I have heard that the thieves are now so paranoid about trackers that when they nick some plant the usual routine is to tow it away a short distance to safety, stash it and then if nobody comes to collect within a couple of days they know there is no tracker fitted so they safely drive it away again.

 

I was recently looking for one for my new Ifor Williams Tipper and found there is one on the market that is the size of a box of ciggarettes, has it's own battery source and last's for about 2 years without charging, probably ideal for a chipper.

[Stuart A-C]

scumbags do it with cars as well, nick it, leave it parked up for a few days and return to take away if still there.

[18 stoner]

I have a JCB Mini Digger, bought it new so wanted maximum protection and I therefore fitted a tracker (I got a reduction in my insurance for doing so also)

 

It's an excellent system, on two occasions I have forgotten to call to tell them I am about to move my digger and within a mile of me moving it I get a call from the company to say my digger is on the move and did I know about it.

 

From memory I paid about 350 to get it fitted and first year subs and then it's something like 120 sub each year after.

 

I have heard that the thieves are now so paranoid about trackers that when they nick some plant the usual routine is to tow it away a short distance to safety, stash it and then if nobody comes to collect within a couple of days they know there is no tracker fitted so they safely drive it away again.

 

I was recently looking for one for my new Ifor Williams Tipper and found there is one on the market that is the size of a box of ciggarettes, has it's own battery source and last's for about 2 years without charging, probably ideal for a chipper.

 

Sounds like a couple of good systems Nick, do you have any details or links to manufacturers?

[Nick Watkins]

Sounds like a couple of good systems Nick, do you have any details or links to manufacturers?

 

For the portable device i.e. not wired into a 12V battery I looked at this system http://www.carnetics.co.uk/downloads/brochure_asset.pdf (sorry if you not allowed to post links) Although I have not done this I was thinking of putting it onto my Ifor Tipper as mentioned because wiring a normal tracker into the battery would be a bit obvious due to the battery being on show. However concealing it on a tipper is a little difficult without welding extra bits onto it.

 

I will dig out a link tonight for the system on my JCB.

[Andy Collins]

One example of Tracker success.

At the company where my brother works, they service and supply quads. The warehouse was full of bikes in for service one summer, and at about 3pm they heard sirens everywhere getting closer. Next minute the yard is full of police vehicles, and heli overhead. Turned out the RSPB have 2 bikes, one was stolen and one in for a service. RSPB had reported the wrong machine stolen, the one in for service. This was right at the back of the warehouse. They had to drive each machine out past 2 vehicles with detectors onboard, until the right machine triggered the system. The Police then determined this was in fact not a stolen machine, notified RSPB who instantly notified Tracker. As the heli was returning to its base, it picked up the stolen quads tracker (now activated) and retrieved the correct machine. It may seem like the first stage of the story was a waste of time and money, but it did prove the worth of the system, and the precision it works to.

[treefeller]

After seeing Omniata's thread on the micro dots, i was wondering if anyone uses trackers on such as chippers?

 

It sounds to me like a combination of micro dots on kit would be great for the opportunist thief on such as saws, (this i might give a go) combined with trackers on such as chippers and trucks.

 

I still believe insurance is a must, but purely on the basis of inconvenience, getting your own kit back can sometimes be best.

 

So, what thoughts do people have about viability of trackers on top of the insurance premium we already pay, and do they actually work?

 

hi, trackers are worth the cost and more, got all my defenders fitted with them, got good discount of nfu as well.so must be worth it just for the peace of mind everything is safe let alone the reduced insurance premium!