Guidepoint Thwarts Crafty Criminals!
GPS tracking service helps recover disguised luxury sedan for car-leasing company
JACKSONVILLE, FL. - When thieves stole a leased 2004 BMW 745 IL in the Jacksonville area recently, they probably felt pretty good after three weeks passed with no visits from the police.
In fact, the crafty car thieves had disguised the stolen Beamer's true identity so cleverly that they were even able to register it legal and get new license plates for the car. No doubt, they were feeling like they were in the clear.
Then Guidepoint got a call. Within minutes, literally, the stolen BMW was recovered.
The work by Guidepoint, a stolen vehicle recovery and convenience system sold at new-car dealers nationwide, highlights how GPS tracking systems are helping foil increasingly crafty car thieves. In this case, the car had been missing for several weeks before the customer called the leasing company and reported it stolen. The leasing company called Guidepoint's 24/7/365 response center and personnel went to work immediately, locating the car online and contacting the police. Within minutes police were on the scene and found the BMW.
One problem: The car was a different color, had a different license plate and a different vehicle identification number (VIN). Police found something else interesting in the car: a sizable stash of contraband. They immediately towed the vehicle and impounded it.
While police tried to figure out if impounded BMW was the one reported stolen or not, Guidepoint tracked the car again with its GPS-Web interface. The result: the car was tracked to the police impound lot.
At Guidepoint Systems we strive to provide the total driving solution, from upgrading your service plan to purchasing special services. We hope your GPS visit is simple and fun.
It’s a digital world – and your car is no exception. That’s why Guidepoint and Cingular® have introduced the industry’s first all-digital system for stolen vehicle recovery, driver safety / convenience and fleet management. With the new digital Guidepoint, you’ll get faster, more reliable service throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
"Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize Guidepoint's ability to grow consistently, year after year, with the 2007 Best Bang for the Buck of the Year Award in stolen vehicle tracking systems,” said Frost & Sullivan’s Sathyanarayana K, research analyst. “We attribute this success to the company's service orientation, the positive relationships that it has built with dealers and distributors, and the unique hardware/software package that it offers to end-users."
