Stolen Motorcycle Found: How a Simple GPS Tracker Helped Dismantle a Criminal Network

A few months ago, a story worthy of the greatest Hollywood films unfolded in France. And like any good script, all’s well that ends well. So let’s discover together this crazy story of motorcycle theft whose plot takes place in Haute-Savoie, France!

Let’s get to know each other a bit, can you tell me more about yourself in a few words?

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Hello. For anonymity reasons, we’ll say my name is Paul. I’m 32 years old and I live in Annecy in Haute-Savoie.

I’m not a tech geek, but I do keep up with the latest innovations. When they bring real added value to daily life, I’m all for it!

What led you to equip yourself with a GPS tracker initially?

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Having acquired a motocross, I was thinking about a way to secure it. In France, nothing allows you to insure this type of vehicle, as they are not approved and therefore do not have a registration card.

Moreover, it’s very easy to steal these bikes because they don’t have keys, only an electric starter or a kick. Being a tenant in an apartment with a garage, I couldn’t afford to place a large attachment on the wall to secure the bike.

After some research, the GPS tracker solution quickly presented itself.

Why did you choose an Invoxia GPS tracker?

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I was primarily looking for a device small enough to be hidden on the bike. Price was also an important criterion. I then came across the Invoxia classic tracker which met all these criteria.

The reviews were also positive so hop, into the cart!

Were you afraid of hiding your GPS tracker in a too visible spot? Did you do several tests before finding your final location?

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I quickly found the perfect hiding spot on my bike, it even seemed like it was made for it.

I just want to point out that you should avoid placing it in a metal cavity to avoid creating a Faraday cage and thus blocking the tracker’s signal.

Your vehicle was stolen, can you tell us about this misadventure?

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At the time, I was renting a garage located a street away from my apartment, right in front of the gendarmerie.

With my partner, we had gone to a spa an hour away from home on a Sunday. We came out all relaxed at 9 PM when suddenly, I receive a tracker alert on my phone “tilt detection”. At first, I thought “well, the bike must have fallen, or something fell on the bike, or it’s an app bug” but the stress started to rise.

At 9:10 PM, a new notification “vehicle in motion”, I open the app and see my bike moving on the map… And then, the sweat starts to pour.

I immediately call the gendarmerie explaining that I have a GPS tracker, that my bike is probably being stolen, and I ask them to cross the street to check that my garage has been broken into. Two minutes later, they call me back and confirm that the bike is stolen along with other items in my garage.

From that moment, we started a chase in collaboration with the gendarmes. I was indicating the bike’s position via the app while they were on their way.

The point quickly stabilized in a hangar in Pringy (6 miles from us). I sent them aerial views of the hangar to locate the exact site. Within about thirty minutes, the hangar was surrounded by law enforcement.

I hurried to get to the site as quickly as possible and was able to witness the gendarmerie’s setup. The turning point of the operation was that the gendarmes saw individuals locking themselves in the hangar, thus turning the case into a flagrant offense and giving the gendarmes more freedom. Otherwise, they would have had to wait until the next morning to search the hangar…

After about twenty phone calls with the gendarmes, they asked me:

👮 “Does your tracker still indicate the same point? Are you sure?”

👨 “Yes, still in the hangar, on the right at the back”

👮 “Okay, we’re going in!”

And then, I hear a loud bang on the phone, I understand they forced the hangar door. I remain in an endless wait for a final call.

The suspense is unbearable, we can’t wait to know the end…

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The phone rings: “It’s good, we found your vehicle, can you come and confirm?”

I walk up the street to the hangar, I pass all the gendarmes with bulletproof vests, riot helmets, all on alert because apparently two individuals were on the run around the building.

I enter the hangar and feel like I’m at Disneyland! A hangar filled to the brim with stolen items, dismantled scooters, motorcycles, quads, construction tools, power tools, etc…

As expected, at the back on the right, my bike, on its bike lift, my helmet next to it, and all the locks I had put on the bike, cut in the criminals’ van. In the middle of the hangar, one of the individuals, kneeling, handcuffed, hooded.

The gendarme explains that I have to return the next day to the police station to file a complaint. I go there the next morning and out of curiosity, I ask if they found the other individuals.

👮 “Yes, we caught them, they were hiding, lying in the false floor of the mezzanine with a 12-gauge weapon.”

And that’s how, thanks to a small device, a theft and fencing network that had been active for 4 years was dismantled. 12 victims were identified with the evidence present in the hangar for an amount totaling over 120,000€.

I would like to particularly thank the gendarmerie who were impressively effective that night.

Your vehicle was not the only one found during the law enforcement intervention… Can you tell us more about the other theft victims?

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Unfortunately, only 3 victims came forward as civil parties. The other two had their van stolen and were compensated.

You must be some kind of hero around there! How did the rest of the adventure go for the hero of the day?

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Well, not at all! In view of the press, all the credit went to the law enforcement (laughs). But I’m fine with staying in the shadows.

After this story, however, all my friends bought Invoxia GPS trackers, even two for some! There, you owe me a big favor…

Did this theft make you change your habits regarding your vehicle?

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I became very paranoid because there is always ONE question: “How did they know there was a motocross precisely in this garage?” Was it a neighbor who was in cahoots? Was I followed? No answer… I still continue to use my trusty tracker!

Do you think tracking your belongings to protect them is in vogue and that the practice is becoming more widespread?

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Obviously. The more technology evolves, the more theft techniques evolve too. The tracker is an additional security, one more chance to recover your belongings.

And the thieves know it too, there was a GPS tracker jammer in the hangar, it seems it didn’t work…

If you had to summarize this misadventure in a few words, what would you say?

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10,000€ saved. 3 criminals arrested and judged for their actions. 2 victims compensated.

A GPS tracker for 100€… It’s up to you!

Like Paul, don’t wait to be robbed to equip yourself: be proactive!