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Stolen vehicle locator

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Skapruisprime, Mar 27, 2018.

  1. Skapruisprime

    Skapruisprime Member

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    Did you know....

    Stolen Vehicle Locator

    Safety Connect response center agents can help local authorities locate your vehicle. In the event that your Toyota is stolen, simply file a police report and call 1‑800‑331‑4331. Our 24/7response center agents can remotely activate the location beacon in your Toyota to help recover it more quickly.
     
  2. priuscatprimeguy

    priuscatprimeguy Senior Member

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    what happens when you car is repossessed? because you no longer made payments to the car finance company?
     
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  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    ... if your Toyota is so equipped.

    Mine isn't.
     
  4. PCPrime

    PCPrime Member

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    Seems that it won't work if the car is off, my new advanced model is coming to Florida from CA and the Vehicle Finder only shows the last location when the car was moving onto the truck which was 28 hours ago.
     
  5. Digloo2

    Digloo2 Active Member

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  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    When I read the title, I thought someone had stolen your vehicle locator. :D
     
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    A Prius? Stolen? Really? Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, I understand, but Prius?
     
  8. huskers

    huskers Senior Member

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    Criminals have to start somewhere.
     
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  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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  10. PCPrime

    PCPrime Member

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    That would be useless if it only works within Bluetooth range since Bluetooth range is a very short distance. Unless the one who stole your car don't want to run away.
     
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  11. priuscatprimeguy

    priuscatprimeguy Senior Member

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  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    After a re-read of the OP, I'm 99% sure it's spam.

    The TrackR thing is clearly not intended for tracking vehicles. It's for disorganized people.
     
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  13. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    Sounds like what OP wants is a magnetic GPS tracker like you see in cop shows.

    It would have to be fairly large and have some way of getting power and connectivity if it's meant to be more than a one or two-time use thing, though.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. Digloo2

    Digloo2 Active Member

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    About the TrackR ... Bluetooth is good for 10m or about 30 feet. It's not going to be useful for something wizzing by you, but if it's stationary and you come within its range, it'll register.

    If someone steals a car, my guess is that they're not interested in locking it away for 30 years. They're either going to chop it up, use it for themselves, or drive it to another country and sell it (or vice versa).

    Either way, the chances of it sitting in a parking lot for an hour or more where someone with a cell phone is within BT distance is fairly high.

    The TrackR "network" presumes there's a good saturation of users running their app in order for the devices to be found "in the wild".

    A fancy car would stand out like a sore thumb in a small town, but be hardly noticeable in a larger city. And that's where the TrackR "network" is going to be most effective.

    Sure, it's not as good as a LoJack, but it's better than nothing if the intent of the thief is simply to acquire a car on the cheap, or sell it to someone who wants it for their own. Even a LoJack is going to be useless if an organized bunch of thieves are jacking vehicles and they expect them to have RF tracking devices attached. All they'd have to do is get the vehicle into a metal container and take it to a metal building where they strip it down. The last known position would be where they loaded it onto the truck. And that's probably the last you'd hear about it.

    Something like a TrackR is more likely to be overlooked as a tracking device on a vehicle. I mean, look how useless it seems to folks here!
     
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  15. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    How many places do Prii get stolen for parts? There was a thread about people stealing wheels off of parked Prii in/around the SF Bay area, IIRC.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  16. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    Don't know about wheels, but HV batteries would be a hot item in SF.
     
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  17. Skapruisprime

    Skapruisprime Member

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    Spam? Seriously...its an email from toyota. Do your research before accusing others
     
  18. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I apologize for the accusation. Until now, I had no idea it was from an email from Toyota. We've gotten a rash of spam lately and I jumped to a conclusion I should not have.
     
  19. docboy

    docboy Junior Member

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    Ironically thieves tend to steal the more common and popular vehicles. Certain 1990s Accords/Civics and Camrys/Corollas for example are high risk for theft, likely due to demand for parts.
     
  20. SaraBBrown94

    SaraBBrown94 Active Member

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    If you're so worried, just buy a cheap iphone with minimal data. get findmyfriends on there and hardwire the phone to power under the center cupholders. If someone steals it, ping the phone.