Proven technologies are no match for locating stolen vehicles – Heliot’s Sigfox 0G radio technology helps
The thieves know their way around: They know which treasure is stored in the garage next to the chic detached house in the Cologne suburb. The garage door is quickly levered open. Picking the lock and short-circuiting the ignition only takes a few minutes. Then the yellow Porsche 911 T drives out of the garage, turns onto the road and drives off into the darkness – almost as if nothing had happened. But the owner of the rare classic car is in for a rude awakening the next morning. However, locating vehicles via the Sigfox 0G radio network offers considerable advantages.
Vehicle theft in Germany
An average of 45 cars are stolen in Germany every day. The perpetrators are often professional gangs of thieves. Modern radio technology helps private investigators like Gerrit Walgemoet to track down stolen vehicles, high-value construction site equipment and entire articulated lorries. Together with the local police, he seizes the stolen goods and returns them to their owners. The private investigator knows that conventional tracking technologies such as GPS are increasingly reaching their limits – they are quickly recognized by thieves, can be easily disrupted or deactivated and have a limited range.
Tracking down and recovering stolen vehicles – with the right technology
“The organized gangs of thieves know exactly where the vehicles are and when they can strike best. The stolen goods are often moved several hundred kilometers from the crime scene on the same day and even taken abroad. Truck trailers and high-quality construction site equipment such as excavators, power generators or wheel loaders are also a popular target,” says Gerrit Walgemoet. “Then we come into play. The first few hours are often crucial for success.” To enable Gerrit Walgemoet and his team to recover the stolen goods, technology is required that remains undetected and reliably and permanently reveals the position of the vehicles.
Tracking stolen goods in Europe – thanks to the well-developed Sigfox network
Communication via the Sigfox 0G radio network brings considerable advantages for Gerrit Walgemoet. Unlike GPS and Wifi signals, for example, the LPWAN radio signals used by Heliot require considerably less energy. This means that the transmitters with integrated battery can be installed particularly unobtrusively in vehicles. Thanks to its physical properties, the technology is also particularly resistant to interference signals. The Sigfox radio network is available almost everywhere in many countries. In addition to the DACH region, network coverage is also largely seamless in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, the Benelux countries and the Baltic states. Sigfox operates in a frequency range of 868 MHz. This enables you to locate people even in rural areas, where the expansion of the traditional mobile network is often not yet possible across the board. The radio signals penetrate so well that they are much less affected by concrete ceilings and steel than many other technologies.
Heliot technology as effective protection against vehicle theft
Common tracking technologies such as GPS do not always work and can be quickly and easily deactivated by professional thieves. With its unique properties, Heliot’s technology is an effective addition. The transmitters can be installed easily, space-savingly and inconspicuously in valuable vehicles and equipment and can be operated reliably and maintenance-free for up to four years using a battery. The Porsche 911 from the Cologne suburb was also equipped with Heliot technology. Thanks to the radio signal, Gerrit Walgemoet is able to locate the car on an abandoned farm in the Netherlands and return it to its owners.
Gerrit Walgemoet, independent private investigator
“When it comes to vehicle recovery in particular, it is important to rely on multiple technologies – as the case of the 911 from Cologne shows,” says Gerrit Walgemoet. The investigator now also advises large leasing companies and insurance companies on all aspects of security technology. “With its properties, Sigfox radio technology is an excellent addition to proven technologies. It starts exactly where the thieves already feel most secure. This makes the technology particularly interesting for us.”
Radio technology for vehicle tracking
Project
Locating vehicles and equipment using the Sigfox 0G radio network: space-saving with enormous range and extremely effective interference protection
Industry
Insurances
Challenge
According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, almost 16,500 vehicles were stolen in Germany alone in 2021
Professional gangs of thieves who are very familiar with tracking technology are often behind them
Common systems such as GPS or Wi-Fi are often detected and deactivated by thieves immediately
Solution
Sigfox OG wireless technology is an excellent addition to existing technology
The transmitters can be installed in particularly inconspicuous places and thus usually remain undetected by thieves
The transmitters are space-saving, handy and can be operated maintenance-free for up to four years with a battery
Benefit
Sigfox operates in a frequency range of 868 MHz. This means that the transmitters cover a large distance and enable localization even in rural areas
The radio signals can also be located very well in garages or buildings with thick concrete ceilings and steel.
The Sigfox network is available almost everywhere in many countries. The signals are extremely resistant to interference signals