On September 7th, around 3:30 a.m., Jacksonville, FL, resident Jonathan Borden was awakened by the chirping of a text message on his mobile phone. Clicking on the message, he saw an alert from CalAmp Corp. that his motorcycle that was supposed to be parked outside of his apartment was in fact on the move at about 45 mph. He jumped out of bed, looked out the window and saw that indeed his brand new motorcycle had been stolen… and so had his roommate’s. The hunt was on.
But Borden had an unfair advantage – his new Yamaha R6 was outfitted with a high-tech stolen vehicle tracking and recovery device from CalAmp that could not only alert him that the bike was moving, it could show him where it was going.
About the size of a deck of cards, the weather-resistant tracker incorporates CalAmp’s GPS satellite tracking technology and a GSM cellular modem for wireless data communications. A consumer-friendly, web-based monitoring service allows owners to know where their vehicles are, if they are moving, and how fast.
“I immediately went online and logged onto my CalAmp tracker account,” Borden explained. “From my computer, I was able to follow my bike as it moved south from Jacksonville down Interstate-95.”
He next called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and reported the theft.
“I gave the officer on duty the CalAmp website address and my login information so the Sheriff’s Office could track my stolen motorcycle,” Borden added.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit tracked the motorcycle online, all the way to Miami, some 350 miles south – where the bike stopped. Jacksonville Sheriff’s detectives alerted their counterparts in Miami, and guided them to the exact address of the stolen motorcycle. Local law enforcement officials swooped in and found Borden’s bike, his roommate’s, and two stolen cars as well – catching the thieves in the process of dismantling Borden’s motorcycle.
A US Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class, Borden had returned from sea duty to US Naval Station Mayport the month prior. Among the first things he did was to purchase a new 2010 Yamaha R6 from Beach Blvd. Motorsports in Jacksonville. At the time of the sale, Josh Zuckerman, Beach Finance Manager, convinced Borden to include a CalAmp stolen vehicle tracker on his bike.
“As we were filling out the purchase contract, I noticed that Jonathan lives in an apartment complex,” Zuckerman said. “I told him ‘you absolutely have to have a stolen vehicle tracking system’. I know because I live in an apartment and my new bike was stolen just 42 days after I bought it. Now, seeing Jonathan’s experience with the CalAmp recovery system, I’m sold on it.”
The CalAmp GPS tracker’s automatic movement alert feature notifies the owner when the vehicle has been moved more than 50 meters without the ignition turned on, allowing the user to initiate recovery via professional law enforcement if it is stolen.
According to Borden, “The CalAmp Tracker did just what it was supposed to – it alerted me that my bike was on the move, and allowed the police to track it to the thieves’ destination. I like the idea of text, email and phone alerts, and the online location viewer. The combination made it possible for me to get my new motorcycle back.”
“CalAmp’s stolen vehicle recovery system is the answer to the problem of motorsports vehicle theft. Whether your motorcycle is parked in your driveway, your ATV is at a storage lot or your snowmobile is at the family cabin, CalAmp’s stolen vehicle tracking and recovery system knows where your vehicle is, and can alert you when it’s on the move,” said Mike Zachan, CalAmp’s Telemetric Systems group vice president and general manager.
Ultimately, the insurance company arranged to have the motorcycles transported back to Jacksonville and Beach Blvd. Motorsports where Borden’s bike was being restored to its original condition.
“The insurance company took a while to get the bikes back up here and approve the repair work… too bad they didn’t react as swiftly as the CalAmp tracker,” Borden grinned.
For more information about CalAmp, visit www.calamp.com.
