Brampton man saved by second GPS tracker after thieves rip out his first one
When thieves stole a Brampton man’s pickup truck Wednesday morning, one of the first things they allegedly did was rip out a factory-installed GPS tracker.
But Aman Sidhu had an ace up his sleeve: a second tracker the trained mechanic had installed, allowing him to trace the Toyota Tundra to a parking lot in Toronto, where he called the police.
“I installed my own GPS in a hidden location. The thieves never think there is another GPS in the car,” Sidhu told CTV News in an interview.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
GPS is one of the deterrents encouraged by the insurance industry to claim down on record-breaking car thefts, where criminals steal vehicles from driveways across the province and take them for resale around the world.
“These incentives are typically targeted to high-risk vehicles. Participation rates have steadily increased among the owners of high-risk vehicles as insurers offer these incentives,” said Brett Weltman of the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Sidhu’s case underscores the complicated problem of trying to mass-produce a theft-deterrent device because smart thieves can find and neutralize them. He said he believes all drivers should get a backup system.
Early Wednesday morning, Sidhu said his first GPS was silent, but his second sent him an alarm that his car was moving.
He followed that second signal from his home to a parking lot near Avenue Road and Highway 401.
When thieves stole a Brampton man’s pickup truck Wednesday morning, one of the first things they allegedly did was rip out a factory-installed GPS tracker. (Aman Sidhu)
A video he provided shows his point of view as he creeps along the parking lot to find the large red pickup among several other vehicles.
“I put my hand on it and it was still hot. I think I got there 10 to 15 minutes after they left,” Sidhu said.
Police say such lots are known as “cooling off locations” – because if there’s interest in tracking the car, pursuers will find it in an unrelated lot instead of the base of their operation.
“It’s a location where they take the cars in between the theft and maybe their ultimate destination,” said Det. Insp Scott Wade of the Ontario Provincial Police.
Wade said officers intercept some vehicles at cooling off locations, and rely on the public to help spot them.
“You know your neighbourhood, you know what fits and what doesn’t fit. And if you see something that looks suspicious, contact police,” he said.
On Wednesday, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc said Ontario would get $121 million to help prevent gun and gang violence in Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978649.1722015109!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga, Ont.: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Ont., Peel police say.
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt
Nearly two weeks after Donald Trump’s near assassination, the FBI confirmed Friday that it was indeed a bullet that struck the former president’s ear, moving to clear up conflicting accounts about what caused the former U.S. president’s injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.