Car break-ins across the Bay Area are an epidemic, and now, criminals are using tech devices that can tell what’s inside a vehicle before they even approach it.
Laptops, smartphones and tablets, even when hidden or locked in the trunk, continue to emit a signal, and Rob Enderle, principal analyst with the Enderle Group, says criminals know how to track that signal.
“It might be just as easy as picking up a smartphone and looking for Bluetooth signals, and if they see it, they can triangulate approximately where it is,” Enderle said.
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More sophisticated signal detectors can better locate the source of the signal. They cost up to several hundred dollars. Their intended use is to locate surveillance equipment planted in buildings and vehicles.
In the city’s Marina District on Monday, Jacqui Lewis said she’s seen the crooks in action and what they leave in their wake.
“I’ve actually seen five in a row one day as I was walking home from work at 10:30 in the morning!” said Lewis.
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As far as solutions, Lewis says police patrols in her neighborhood didn’t exactly work.
“It was a good deterrent, but the second they take off after someone, they’ll be another couple break-ins," said Lewis.
“If you power down the device, it doesn’t have the ability to broadcast, and when in doubt, remove the battery because when the battery's gone, it’s not doing anything,” Enderle said.
