The number of vehicles stolen by thieves varies by year. Generally, though, you can expect the FBI to report about 720,000 stolen vehicles per year in the United States. Nearly 220 out of 100,000 Americans will experience a car theft within the next year.
You can do several things to lower your risk of car theft. For example, you can choose vehicles that rarely get targeted by criminals instead of models with high theft rates. You could also avoid cities with high crime rates. Of course, you can’t always control these factors. Sometimes you own the car you own, and you live where you live. The good news is that GPS units can help everyone protect their vehicles. To get the most protection, though, you need to know the best places to hide a GPS tracker.
General Tips For Hiding GPS Units
Before looking at specific locations, think about how the following tips can help you find the best place to hide a GPS tracker in your car. Ideally, you want to:
- Keep the GPS unit out of sight.
- Choose a spot where thieves won’t think to look.
- Select an inconvenient place for thieves to inspect.
- Use a compact GPS unit with a long battery life.
- As long as you follow those basic rules, you should get positive results from your tracker.
7 Best Places To Hide A GPS Tracker In Your Car
So, where are the best places to hide a GPS tracker in your car? The answer is it really depends on the type of hidden GPS used. In this section, we will go over the best spots you can hide a car GPS tracker so a thief searching your vehicle would never find the vehicle tracker!
Inside A Door Panel
Most thieves never think to take off the door panels and look for GPS devices. Even careful thieves will need to spend a few minutes taking the panels off to hunt for a GPS unit. Those minutes could give police all of the time they need to track down the location, arrest the criminals, and take possession of your vehicle.
Obviously, you don’t want to take apart your door very often to recharge your GPS unit’s battery. It helps to choose a device with a long battery life. That makes the LandAirSea Overdrive a strong option. Its battery can last up to four weeks when set to communicate its location once per minute. You can extend the battery life even further (up to 12 months) by setting the Overdrive to “Low Power Mode.”
The LAS Overdrive comes with access to the Silvercloud app, which lets you toggle between regular and low-power modes. The app will also let you track your vehicle’s movement right from your mobile device, including a smartphone or tablet.
On The Undercarriage
Your car’s undercarriage, the exterior of the cabin exposed underneath the vehicle, probably has several metal parts that make convenient places to attach GPS units with built-in magnets. This is one of the best places to hide a GPS tracker because the thief would need to get under the car to check for the unit. They won’t take time for that while trying to reach safety.
You need a GPS unit with a very strong unit for this position to work. The Overdrive can do the job, but you might want to spend less money on a device that gets exposed to gravel, dust, and other elements. The LAS 54 makes a good option because it has a low cost, strong magnet, and is lightweight. For about $30, you get a reliable, dustproof GPS tracker small enough to fit in your pocket. It has a battery that lasts one to three weeks before it needs recharging. That should give you peace of mind no matter how long you leave your car outside.
The OBD-II Port
The OBD-II port is one of the best places to hide a GPS tracker on your vehicle. Why? Because the data port is easily accessible, you can quickly plug your vehicle GPS tracker to the OBD2 port, and there is no installation required. And the best part? GPS tracking devices connected via OBD2 pull power directly from your car so you never have to worry about battery life!
One of our top-selling tracking devices, the LAS Sync, plugs directly into the port, so it never needs its battery recharged. The only potential downside of choosing a GPS unit like the LAS Sync is that thieves might notice it. Most modern car designers place OBD-II ports inside the cabin, often by the driver’s left knee. That’s not exactly the stealthiest location. A few vehicles have OBD-II ports located under the hood. That’s a better option for security purposes.
You can learn more about how to find the OBD2 data port in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeZd4gBuL28
Inside A Brake Light
With many cars, you can only access the brake lights from inside the trunk. That makes brake lights a great location for hiding GPS trackers. Make sure that you place the unit somewhere that doesn’t block the light, though. Otherwise, you could give the police a reason to focus on you instead of criminals.
Inside A Seat Cushion
If you want to keep your GPS tracker in a location you can access easily, put it inside a seat cushion. That way, you can remove the unit easily when you want to charge its battery. The cushion is easy to access, but it isn’t a place many people think about. As long as the GPS device doesn’t poke them when they sit down, they will never assume to look inside your seats.
Check your tracking software before you make this a permanent spot for your GPS unit. Thick cushions could block the GPS signal. If you get a clear reading, you don’t need to worry. If you see any delays, consider placing the device somewhere else.
Center Console
Did you know fiberglass doesn’t block GPS vehicle tracking signals? This allows you to discreetly hide a tracker in your car’s center console while it continues transmitting real-time location updates, keeping the device concealed from thieves. If you want to hide a car tracker in the center console we would advise you tuck the vehicle GPS tracking system under some papers so it is not visible to the thief.
Under The Front or Passenger Seat
One of the easiest places to hide a tracker on your car is under the front or passenger seat. Why? Because hidden GPS trackers are designed to be covert and operate without a clean eye to the sky like traditional GPS navigation systems. For example, the LandAirSea 54 can be hidden underneath the car, inside the spare tire, or under the front or passenger seat and still work flawlessly. The reason is the powerful internal antenna that allows the vehicle tracker to pick up GPS signals in some of the most covert locations on your car. Also, a thief is much less likely to look underneath the car, front seat, or passenger seat than the glovebox or center console.
How To Find GPS Tracker On Car
So you think is using GPS car tracker to secretly monitor where you are going and now you want to find out how to find the GPS tracker? Don’t worry, we have you covered! The good news is finding a hidden GPS tracker on your vehicle can be a little challenging, but with the right tools and knowledge, you can locate the tracking device. Begin by conducting a visual inspection of common hiding spots like under the steering wheel, in the glove compartment, and around the seats. Look in all the spots we recommend earlier in the article! If you looked in these recommended locations and still suspect a tracker inside your vehicle, you might want to invest in an electronic sweeper or GPS detector. These devices are effective in detecting radio frequencies emitted by tracking devices. For a more thorough search, you can:
- Check the wheels and under the car. Trackers often stick in these less noticeable areas.
- Look around the dashboard and any dash cams for any unusual wires or boxes.
- Use a bug detector to sweep for electronic signals if a visual check doesn’t reveal anything.
If you feel a little lost with everything you should consider asking for professional help from a private investigator, auto mechanic or local law enforcement. They have experience working with GPS tracking systems and might be better equipped to help you find and remove the GPS tracker on your car.
How LAS Can Help
LAS works with many businesses and individuals that use automotive GPS units. Finding the best places to hide your GPS tracker gives you another level of protection. Not sure which of our GPS trackers will work best for your vehicle? We’re happy to help!
Contact our office via phone or email to learn more about the features to expect from our GPS units and software. We’ve talked to thousands of people in your position, so we have plenty of insight into the best ways to use each LAS device.
Learn more about how GPS tracking works here: https://landairsea.com/blog/how-gps-tracking-works/