Vehicle Theft: On The Right Track

Motoring Channel Staff - 25/June/2007

Sydney, Australia — Car and motorcycle theft can be partly mollified by insurance, but there's the monetary outlay of an 'excess' payment and importantly for longtime owners, vehicle collectors and enthusiasts, sometimes a replacement doesn't cut the mustard.

Over 14,000 car owners had their vehicles stolen in Australia in 2006 according to figures from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC), and the council also said that some 26 percent of motor vehicles stolen in 2006 were unrecovered for a net value ofabout $165 million.

Exotic, prestige and classic cars are often the target of car jackings and theft, but stealing a Ferrari in Sydney may prove more tricky for thieves as Italia Motori, a Sydney Ferrari dealership, has started using military-derived tracking technology to improve customer vehicle security.

Using a radio-based tracking system, Italia Motori sells Ferraris fitted with the QuikTrak CarWatch security system, which pinpoints a vehicle's location and enables speedy recovery if stolen. 

It's not a cheap anti-theft device and necessitates a monthly subscription to pay for the tracking, but as Italia Motori's NSW sales manager Alan Hind explained, many owners consider their vehicles to be irreplaceable and will be more than willing to pay for peace of mind.

"Cars can of course be insured against theft, but these aren't everyday cars. The Ferraris we sell are highly personalised and highly prized possessions that have been built to an individual's tastes and requirements. They're like handmade suits," said Mr Hind. 

"They can be replaced with another suit, but will never be the same."

Pointing to a second hand $400,000 F360 Challenge Stradale, Mr Hind said, "There is no equivalent of this 2004 model. It's a light-weight track-racing version of the standard road car, with a 300 km/h top speed. It has a more powerful engine, carbon ceramic brake rotors, 19-inch magnesium wheels and weighs 180 kilograms less. It is quite unique.

"Our customers have a very personal connection with their vehicles. We recommend CarWatch to them because it can provide their car's location at all times. This information is of course crucial if it goes missing," Mr Hind said.

According to the company, QuikTrak uses a 'virtually' unjammable military-grade radio network instead of satellite or cellular tracking, and the company's vehicle security analyst Gary Moore claimed that most stolen vehicles fitted with the CarWatch system were recovered in less than 30 minutes, and sometimes even quicker.

"We have built our own network using secure spread-spectrum radio technology that can maintain constant communication - even in built-up or enclosed locations. Other tracking systems that rely on satellite or cellular communication networks can be easily jammed and may fail to respond effectively in urban areas. Lost mobile phone calls or car navigation signals are obvious examples of this," Mr Moore said.

Unlike stolen cars, of which 26 per cent are never recovered, motorcycle theft is even worse. Almost four out of five stolen bikes are never recovered according to theNMVTRC . Some 77 per cent of stolen motorcycles are never recovered, and tracking systems for motorbikes are also available at a price, and can even include remote deactivation systems to ensure you're bike doesn't get ridden into a river or a chop shop.

"If a theft is confirmed," continued Mr Moore, "we directly contact the police radio room and provide a motorcycle's location. We can also remotely disable the motorcycle to assist police with its recovery," said Mr Moore.

"Motorcycles tend to be targeted by professional thieves rather than amateur opportunists. A motorcycle is an easy target for organised thieves because its size and weight make it relatively transportable," said Mr Moore.

"Motorcycles have also traditionally featured far fewer unique identifiers than cars, so they're easier to sell in parts. Another contributing factor is a mindset amongst some riders that little can be done to prevent theft, so there's no point trying. This is certainly not the case when using effective motorcycle security tracking products," he said.

With vehicle tracking technology becoming more affordable, more secure and less prone to jamming or scrambling, owners of unique or personalised vehicles have a broader range of methods in which to protect and monitor their vehicles.