As football fans across the UK look forward to the second leg of
the Champions League, players may be feeling apprehensive about
leaving their loved ones and possessions behind, following the
recent armed raid on the home of Manchester United's Darren
Fletcher.
More than a dozen footballers in the North-West of England have
been victims in the past two and a half years, as calculating
criminals have targeted their UK homes, stealing valuables
including irreplaceable jewellery and high-end vehicles.
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch and Pepe Reina, as well as
Wigan Athletic's Emile Heskey have all had their vehicles stolen
whilst playing away games.
However, it's not just footballers on the receiving end; over 40%
of UK drivers have been a victim of car crime.1 Moreover, as many
vehicles are stolen to order, a significant percentage will be
transported out of the country if they are not recovered within 72
hours; illustrating why the UK recovery rate is only 51%.2 By
fitting a vehicle with a GPS tracking system, motorists can
significantly increase the chance of their car being located and
returned if stolen.
With proactive tracking systems, drivers are instructed to carry a
small Automatic
Driver Recognition (ADR) card, which recognises the authorised
driver. If a car is moved without the ADR card being detected, a
silent alert is sent to a Secure Operating Centre, who will track
and locate the car with pin-point accuracy, providing
minute-by-minute live updates on its movement, including speed and
direction of travel.
Andrew Smith, Managing Director of Cobra UK, European market
leader in stolen vehicle tracking services, says, "Unfortunately,
there are some very callous criminals out there, taking advantage
of the high-profile position of footballers. Our aim at Cobra is to
facilitate the recovery of vehicles taken by criminals. In 2008,
66% of vehicles located by Cobra UK were recovered in 2 hours or
less, so, whilst we cannot remove the risk that footballers face,
we can provide peace-of-mind that if their prized vehicle is
stolen, it can be returned."
1 CarRentals.co.uk. Information correct on 01/01/09.
2 AVCIS