Can Car Thieves Detect a Car Tracker? What You Need to Know

When it comes to stealing cars, thieves try to think of every way they can to swerve past vehicle security measures. After all, we try and use every way possible to secure our vehicles and make them theft-proof, and one of these measures is installing a car tracker. 

But, how foolproof is a car tracker, and is it detectable to car thieves? Let’s find out.

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In this article, you will:

• Explore the importance of car trackers to South Africans

• Discover the answer to the question: “Can car thieves detect a car tracker?”

• Take heed of how thieves can tamper with GPS tracking devices

• Explore the many Cartrack services that can combat detecting and jamming car trackers

• Look forward to peace of mind with Cartrack’s cash-back recovery warranty

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Can car thieves detect car trackers? Here are the facts

Have you ever thought about car thieves’ ability to track and potentially remove a tracker from your car?  Car trackers are essential to ensure you can track your vehicle’s location, and being informed about whether they can be removed and the importance of a smart and discreet installation process can help you understand how to choose a vehicle tracking company that can help prevent this from happening. 

First, though, let’s look at why car trackers are so important to South Africans to understand why we need trackers in the first place. 

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The deep-seated importance of car trackers for South Africans

From sky-high fences, community policing, and intricate alarm systems, if you are a South African, you know that we go out of our way to protect ourselves from this country’s rampant crime.

With vehicles being stolen at a shocking rate, car trackers are a go-to for protecting one of your most important assets. In fact, the South African Police (SAPS) reported the hijacking of 5,488 cars from April 2023 to June 2023! Meanwhile, according to a Statista study about carjackings in South Africa from 2009 to 2023, carjackings went from 9417 in 2012, growing consistently throughout the years and more than doubling that number to 22742 in 2023. 

Tracking devices are a popular and widely-known way to help mitigate your safety and vehicle recovery in these kinds of hijacking situations. Therefore, the possibility that these trackers can be detected should be high on tracking companies’ prevention priority list. 

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Car thieves’ most devilish detection tactics

While detecting a car tracker is possible for car thieves, it can be challenging and most likely unachievable.  Nevertheless, it’s helpful to know which tactics they use to try and find your vehicle’s secret safety weapon, so let’s look at some of these: 

Out of all these criminal methods, tampering is the oldest one in the book.

Tampering:

Thieves can try to detect your device by physically looking for it. Tampering includes removing the tracker or wire-cutting with the intention of making your vehicle impossible to locate. 

Luckily, our skilled technicians are one step ahead and expertly trained in discreet installation, ensuring that the information about your car’s unit location will never be revealed. 

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Signal scanning:

As the twenty-first century continues, car thieves have become much more technologically savvy. Signal scanning is one of the many ways they try to detect whether a tracker is installed in a vehicle. These scanners detect GPS signals that could indicate car trackers, allowing them to make an informed decision about whether they want to risk attempting to steal a vehicle armed with extra protection. However, if they decide to nab a car with a tracker installed, they’ll have an incredibly hard time finding a Cartrack device with our super-discreet installation process, ensuring your car stays trackable and retrievable.  

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GPS detector applications: 

Criminals can now use their phones to steal cars, and there are even apps available to assist them in doing so. These apps detect GPS signals indicating a tracker might be in a vehicle, providing the same information they would get from a signal scammer. They wouldn’t get far with Cartrack on their heels, though.

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Other methods car thieves use to mess with GPS tracking devices

Not only do thieves use tools to detect car trackers, but they also have ways to try and interfere with their signals. Here are some of the most common methods they like to use: 

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Thieves have moved into an innovative era of stealing cars

Aluminium wrapping and removing batteries can be effective, but lawbreakers have also started to focus on interfering with remote car keys to gain easy access and prevent you from locking them, as well as attempting to jam car trackers’ signals to hide their location.

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Blocking remote key

Also known as keyless car theft, this method is not necessarily linked to tracking devices per se but is helpful to know about when it comes to theft risks. Usually, when you walk away from your car and click the button on your remote key fob, you assume your car is safely locked. 

However, when you try to lock the car, car thieves can also use signal interference to shut down your digital key’s signal, leaving your car open and vulnerable to theft. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: always double-check that your car is locked before you walk away.

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How does signal jamming work?

Signal jamming is a technique used by criminals to steal and even use a vehicle for illegal purposes. It interferes with the signals of your vehicle tracking system device, making it difficult for any tracker to connect with the device and ultimately find your car.

Two types of signal jamming approaches are GPS signal jamming and GSM signal jamming. Let’s delve deeper into the criminal mind and examine the details of the techniques they love to use. 

• GPS (Global Positioning System): GPS jammers are illegal, but, of course, that doesn’t and would never stop hijackers. These signal jamming devices emit frequencies designed to interfere with the vehicle tracking devices' GPS, messing with their ability to connect to a receiver.
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• GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications): These devices block GSM signals, or more specifically, cellphone tower connectivity, which also messes with the device’s receiver connection ability.

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However, no matter which option thieves end up using to try and block your tracker’s signal, don’t stress. Cartrack’s Anti-Jamming technology will give them a hard time hiding their (and your vehicle’s) location.

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The top 5 risks of not having a car tracker

Considering all the threats we face on the road today, do you really want to be caught without a tracker in your car? Here are some of the top reasons why you should install one today. After looking at these, we’ll dive into why choosing Cartrack’s discreetly installed tracking device is your best bet at staying visible, trackable, and recoverable.  

1. Without a tracking device installed in your car, you may be left in the dark in case of theft or a hijacking. With an estimated 50,000 vehicles stolen annually across South Africa, you’ll want to know your car’s location 24/7.
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2. Not having a tracker can potentially cost you comprehensive car insurance if you decide to purchase a high-risk car. Also, not having a tracking device installed in some of these popular makes and models can invalidate your coverage. Now, that’s solid proof of a tracker’s value! 
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3. Without a quality vehicle tracker, you won’t have your car’s location in real time, which is crucial information for stolen vehicle recovery teams in the event that they need to chase after your stolen ride. Accurate and ongoing location updates are the backbone of successful stolen vehicle recovery efforts. 
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4. Did you know that some insurance companies like car trackers so much that they’re willing to consider giving you a discount on your car insurance premium? This is because many insurance companies consider cars fitted with trackers to have lower theft risks. 
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5. Car trackers can offer a range of other valuable features to help you navigate everyday life. Geofencing, for example, allows you to receive alerts when your car crosses predefined borders, helping you stay on top of your car’s location and security.  

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While we know that car thieves can detect car trackers when they’re not discreetly installed and mess with tracker signals to stop the unit from working, Cartrack’s range of Stolen Vehicle Recovery solutions ensures that you don’t only have a quality tracking device installed in your car, but our comprehensive measures taken against device detection and Anti-Jamming technology offers peace of mind in case car thieves decide to add your vehicle to their shopping list.

Our all-in-one solution is designed to cover all your bases, giving you complete peace of mind about your vehicle’s security.

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Cartrack gives thieves no time to play hide and seek

Cartrack doesn’t play games with your vehicle or your safety. It’s time to end these car thieves’ hide-and-seek antics with our advanced solutions.

• Panic button: Installed in your vehicle, the panic button allows you to notify Cartrack’s Control Room the moment you experience an emergency, allowing them to contact your emergency contacts and dispatch help if needed based on your real-time location. 
  The panic button is also silent, so it does not alert hijackers. It is a great function as loud alarms can trigger hijackers, making them more aggressive or quick to act.
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• CarWatch: When you leave your car in a parking lot, part of you is probably always worried that you will return and not find it. 
  Luckily, our virtual CarWatch feature is always on guard. This beneficial option is available on the Cartrack App. If your vehicle moves, CarWatch will detect it, and our Control Room will notify you.
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• Anti-Jamming technology: Even during a signal jamming event, we will still be able to track your location, so if hijackers or car thieves attempt to infiltrate your tracker, you won’t be left in the dark. Our fitment team will also discreetly install your device, making it virtually impossible for car thieves to find.
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• Number Plate Recognition: NPR (Number Plate Recognition), sometimes known as ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), is an advanced tool that helps boost vehicle security.
  NPR works through specialised cameras in public areas like stop streets or parking lots. These cameras capture vehicle number plates from there, improve readability, enhance image quality, and eventually complete recognition of the total number plate—a process carried out with the help of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, and can play a crucial role in successful stolen vehicle recovery. 

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Stay trackable with Cartrack’s advanced security measures

Cartrack’s solution keeps your vehicle visible and your device undetectable—all with the ultimate peace of mind. 

Contact us today to elevate your vehicle’s safety and visibility.

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FAQs about car trackers

Q: Can you check if your car has a tracker?

A: Checking whether your vehicle has been fitted with a tracker is as easy as contacting Cartrack Zimbabwe and asking a technician to come to your location, inspect the vehicle, and confirm.

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Q: How effective are car trackers?

A: Car trackers are incredibly effective overall. They can also help lower insurance premiums, which is a nice perk, to say the least.

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Q: What makes a car more likely to be stolen?

A: Many factors can make your vehicle more attractive to thieves. One of the most evident ones is how easy it is to steal. Poorly lit surroundings, open car doors and windows, and zero security measures draw thieves in like moths to a flame.