Handheld GPS helps cops locate crooks

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/STOLEN_GPS?SITE=FLPEJ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Jan 19, 10:13 AM EST
GPS devices lead to suspects' home
LINDENHURST, N.Y. (AP) -- Three thieves who allegedly stole 14 global positioning system devices didn't get away with their crime for long. The devices led police right to their home.

Town officials said the thieves didn't even know what they had: they thought the GPS devices were cell phones, which they planned to sell.

According to Suffolk County police, the GPS devices were stolen Monday night from the Town of Babylon Public Works garage in Lindenhurst. The town immediately tapped its GPS system, and it showed that one of the devices was inside a house. Police said that when they arrived there, Kurt Husfeldt, 46, had the device in his hands.

Husfeldt was charged with criminal possession of stolen property. His 13-year-old son also was arrested on grand larceny charges.

Town officials said the boy committed the burglary with Steven Mangiapanella, 20, also of Lindenhurst. He was charged with grand larceny.

Babylon installed 300 GPS devices in snow plows, dump trucks, street sweepers and other vehicles last January.

Did you know that a GPS was a personal locator/beacon device for the fed's to locate you if they were lookin? I didn't.

Yes, I knew.

That's how it works. Its the only way it could work. Signals must be sent between the device and the satilite system so they always know the exact location of the GPS. Otherwise the GPS unit would never be able to tell you where you are or give you any usefull info.

I guess I never really thought it through. Had I done so I would have seen the logic of what you just pointed out.

Well, I hope that if there are more folks out there that don't really have a natural ability to, or wanna understand technology, this will give em their wake-up call. They can find ya with little effort while yer holdin one of them GPS gadgets in yer hand.

~DeOpressoLiber~

Cell phones are the same way. If it's operational they can find and hear you.

Yessir! That one I DID KNOW! Take the battery out if ya don't want them tracking ya. They're always searching for signal strength and that's how they can locate you.

I also heard that they were using a phone to try and find the guys lost on Mt. Hood in Oregon....till his battery died. Then, they did too! Bummer too!

~DeOpressoLiber~

DOC I HAVE A QUESTION; with all the gps --sold--

how would they know which one is yours;

I bought mine used. And plan .

Of course you can be tracked by your cell phone since it is a transmitter but since most handheld GPS units are only receivers which work by triangulating transmitted signals from satelites and do not transmit any signals`(see: www.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm ) I don't think you could be tracked by most GPS units. Maybe these were special GPS units with transmitters (like On Star) so Public Works could keep track of their vehicles.

Also the news media has been known to lie. I remember back in the 1980s the Dallas newspaper has a story about a cop who got shot and they said the bullet was stopped by and ink pen and note pad. They showed a fake photo of the pen and note pad hit by the bullet. But the truth was that the bullet was stopped by a kevlar vest and they lied not wanting the criminals to know about kevlar vests and to go for head shots next time.

Some GPS units are designed to transmit their location. Commercial trucks carrying valuable cargo were the first to use these devices, but they are becoming quite common now as a means of keeping track of shipments, and to keep track of valuable equipment. I believe this is the type of units the boys had.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Dick wolf, bring them over and I can tell you if they are a transiver or a reciver, thought the cost of the transiver units is much more then a reciver. Cell phones are not due to the fact that they are actually a tranciver and the GPS reports its location through that. The Rino type radios with GPS will give you away.

I might be digressing but, have you guys seen the movie "16 Blocks" yet?

Not to blow any of it for those who haven't but, there's a scene where Bruce Willis' character had a colleagues cell phone the NYPD was using to track his location. When he finally figured out how they were closing in on him, he tossed it on the street.

The cell phones are for sure a GPS locator. But, I didn't know a Magellan or Garmin was - till now! Uncle sugar's invisible electronic leash - eh!!!



~DeOpressoLiber~

Texas Resistance is right.

10-4 guys!

I suppose if a Moderator wants to, they could close out this topic 4 me.

I am "officially" edified!!!

~DeOpressoLiber~