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  • 456 Stolen in Bristol – GPS trackers in bikes?
  • agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Unfortunately Ms AD had her Beefy Brown 456 stolen from Broadmead yesterday, within sight of the Police station. Fortunately it’s insured.

    Is it possible to attach some sort of tracking device to a bike? I downloaded the YoBike app and it shows the locations around Bristol of all of the yellow bikes. That got me thinking about whether if would be an effective deterrent or way of catching thieves if we attached similar devices to our own bikes?

    I get that the Police arent going to cover the cost of doing that, but I’d pay a reasonable amount to fit one myself, if I thought it might make theft less likely or lead to the recover of a bike and hopefully the thieving **** getting nicked.

    Or am I missing something obvious?

    Posted 6 years ago
    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Battery life?
    Lack of signal when indoors/back of a van?
    Scrotes removing the trackers?

    Posted 6 years ago
    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Not sure how the tracking works on the YoBike, but they’ve been around a while and I dont think batteries are being replaced that often (or at all yet).

    And my Garmin watch manages to pick up a GPS signal indoors quite often, and always does in a van. Not sure though if it was hidden in the frame.

    Posted 6 years ago
    scotroutes
    Full Member

    If I was going to be stealing bikes that had GPS trackers in them then I’d make sure my van walls/roof blocked any signals

    Posted 6 years ago
    neilwheel
    Free Member

    I’m assuming the Yobikes have a dynamo to power lights and tracking function.

    Posted 6 years ago
    T1000
    Free Member

    Sorry to hear your news, don’t give up hope, I had a bike recovered by the police in Bristol

    Although it needs a deep clean as it was found in a drug dealers…

    Posted 6 years ago
    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    That’s true, they do have dynamos.

    Not sure GPS proofing the lock up is that easy, and everything helps.

    Posted 6 years ago
    Bregante
    Full Member

    They’re really not very accurate. They may point you to an area but if they are in a city they could still be in one of many dozens of properties. To further focus in on a location a second device is needed (RF device usually) which needs a hand held locator device which will only work once you’re within 50m or so.

    I have access to this type of equipment at work. Ours are industry standard devices costing upwards of £1k each. Even then stuff occasionally doesn’t get recovered.

    Edit

    not sure GPS proofing the lock up is that easy, and everything helps.

    GPS signal jammers are widely available for about £150. Granted that would be outside of the scope of the casual bike thief but perhaps for the more organised criminal.

    Posted 6 years ago
    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Thanks, interesting

    Posted 6 years ago
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