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/1.6977430.1721929538!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'There's mom and dad's house': New video appears to show destruction of Jasper neighbourhood
Video posted to social media on Thursday morning appears to show the charred remains of a Jasper, Alta., neighbourhood.
LIVE NOW Multiple homes, businesses 'lost' to wildfire in Jasper National Park: Parks Canada
Officials from Parks Canada and Jasper say "multiple structures, including a number of businesses and homes, in and around the town of Jasper, have been lost" to wildfire in Jasper National Park.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Jennifer Aniston criticizes JD Vance for 'childless cat ladies' remarks: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children'
Jennifer Aniston is criticizing JD Vance for comments he made in his past about women without children.
WATCH LIVE Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have been destroyed in a wildfire.
NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and Boeing capsule at space station
Already more than a month late getting back, two NASA astronauts will remain at the International Space Station until engineers finish working on problems plaguing their Boeing capsule, officials said Thursday.
'Skibidi Toilet:' If you don't know what it is, you will
'Skibidi Toilet' is already an internet sensation and now its about to get even more exposure after the YouTube series is being developed for TV and film, according to a report by Variety.
French sprinter will wear a cap during Olympic opening ceremony after hijab dispute is resolved
French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla will be allowed to participate in the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics wearing a cap to cover her hair, an agreement reached with the French Olympic Committee after Sylla said she was barred because of her hijab.
Spicy dispute over the origins of Flamin' Hot Cheetos winds up in court
A former PepsiCo executive is suing the company, saying it destroyed his career after questioning his claim that he invented the popular flavor of Cheetos snacks.