Motorists are being warned that thieves who steal GPS devices from cars could then use the device to find out where the car owner lives and rob their home as well. Most users program the electronic mapping devices with their home address so the gizmo can map out the quickest route to where the owner lives. After stealing the GPS, thieves would know whether the owner was likely to be a long way from home and could use the device to drive to the victim's address and burgle the property.
The RACV is warning motorists of the potential threat after reports from Britain of homes being ransacked and a $45,000 sports car being stolen by thieves who followed directions using a stolen GPS to owners' houses. GPS devices have joined laptops, phones and iPods as magnets for car break-ins. They retail at between $100 and several thousand dollars. Their popularity on the black market has declined slightly as the price has come down but police say stolen GPS devices still fetch $50 to $100.
