As if college doesn’t already cost a lot of money, today’s students need to bring expensive gadgets with them to help them succeed. At the very least, college students require laptops for writing papers, doing research, and connecting with professors. Depending on your needs, you might also want headphones or earbuds, external hard drives, monitors, a new smartphone… the list goes on and on.
Why Students Need GPS Devices To Protect Their Gadgets
Unfortunately, on-campus theft is on the rise across the country. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, thefts have more than tripled since 2020. At California State University – Los Angeles, theft makes up 35% of reported crimes, making it by far the most common crime on campus.
The data is clear. No matter where you go to school, you need a reliable way to protect expensive gadgets.
You can lower your risk of getting targeted by:
- Paying close attention to where you leave items.
- Locking your car and keeping gadgets out of view.
- Ensuring your dorm room or apartment door is locked at all times.
- Asking trustworthy friends to watch your items when you must leave the immediate area.
While these steps help prevent theft, they don’t make it easier to retrieve items once you’ve become a victim. That’s where GPS trackers come in. When used properly, they can lower the risk of theft and even help you get stolen items back.
Where To Put Your GPS Trackers
You want to put your GPS trackers somewhere where potential thieves won’t spot them. If the thieves see your tracker, they’ll just drop it in a trash can or throw it on the side of the road to avoid getting caught.
The precise location you choose will depend on the item you want to protect. For example, you might want to put a GPS tracker in your laptop carrying case or backpack. If you want to protect a bike, you could put the tracker under the seat or inside a hollow frame.
Set Up Your GPS Tracker To Send You Alerts
All LandAirSea GPS trackers give you access to the SilverCloud app. The app has powerful features that can protect your gadgets. Once you get your tracker:
- Set up the device in the SilverCloud app.
- Create Proximity Alerts for gadgets you keep in your dorm room or apartment (this will send you a notification if someone removes the tagged item).
- Create temporary GeoFence Alerts when you plan to spend a significant time in one place, such as when pulling an all-nighter in the library.
Someone Stole Your Device. Now What?
Use SilverCloud to find the location of your missing items. SilverCloud will show you the gadget’s current location and the route it took to get there.
Although it’s tempting, you shouldn’t confront the person who stole your property. Leave that to campus security or police. Give them the information from SilverCloud and describe what your missing items look like. SilverCloud’s ShareSpot feature makes it easy to share location information with anyone.
The authorities can then take the proper steps to retrieve your property safely. Your actions could even help prevent further thefts on campus.
You might need to file a police report for stolen property when you talk to the authorities. If possible, include helpful information like:
- A detailed description of the item, including serial numbers (pictures are a huge plus!).
- A timeline of when you think the item was stolen.
- Who you think might have stolen it.
- Where the item was stolen from and where you were when it happened.
Giving the authorities GPS coordinates should help them find your missing gadget. It never hurts to follow up with them to learn whether they retrieved your property. If you haven’t heard from campus security or police after a few days, call them to ask about any progress. They may want to hold your property for a while as evidence against the thief. On the other hand, they might have your items ready to return to you. Police departments get busy, so it’s easy to miss details like calling the victim to come get their stolen property.
The Most Effective GPS Trackers For Students
LAS makes two GPS trackers that should work well for students. You might think about using a basic tracker like Apple AirTags. While devices like AirTags work reasonably well, they lack the sophisticated features you get from LAS GPS trackers. AirTags also have some flaws to consider. For instance, they must connect to a nearby iPhone to let you know their location. If thieves don’t have iPhones with them, they can easily evade detection.
So, which LAS GPS trackers will serve your needs well?
LAS 54
The LAS 54 is probably the best option for college students. Its affordable purchase price (about $30) makes it attractive to students who don’t have much extra money. Once you own the tracker, you can choose a data plan that costs as little as $9.95 per month, with a 24-month commitment.
Despite the LAS 54’s affordable price, it comes with a ton of useful features, including:
- A waterproof, dustproof design that can withstand practically any environment.
- An integrated magnet that attaches to most metal surfaces.
- A USB charger.
- A long battery life that can last from 24 hours to 365 days, depending on how often it communicates its location.
- A small size that makes it easy to hide.
LAS Overdrive
The LAS Overdrive also connects to SilverCloud, so it offers many of the same features you get from the LAS 54, including GeoFence and Proximity Alerts. It’s a little larger than the 54, so it tends to work well with bigger items. Luckily, the larger size means you get a longer battery life. Depending on the setting, you can go from four weeks to a year before charging it.
The Overdrive also has:
- A dustproof, waterproof design.
- An internal magnet.
- A USB charger.
It’s just a bigger, more powerful version of the 54.
The LAS Overdrive has a higher price than the LAS 54. Expect to spend about $200 on the GPS tracker. The Overdrive’s data plans cost the same as the 54’s, so you can spend as little as $9.95 per month.
Find The Right On-Campus GPS Tracker for Your Gadgets
Students deserve a reliable way to protect gadgets on campus. You rely on them to take notes in class, complete assignments, do research, and communicate with classmates and instructors.
Not sure which GPS tracker suits your needs best? LandAirSea can help you choose a model that’s right for you.
Reach out to [email protected] to learn more about your options. He can explain each model’s features and prices so you make an informed decision that protects you from significant loss.
After all, you shouldn’t have to worry about theft while going to school. GPS trackers that work well for you will make it easier to focus on getting good grades, socializing, and preparing for your career.