Anyone have experience with innexpensive GPS Tracking?

[Tidybuoy]

I have an issue. My locked mail box was broken into by a thug a 4:54 am and the guy stole about two weeks of mail. I had been out of town and figured that the locked mail box was safe.

I have cameras on my house so I caught the entire event on video. Unfortunately, our local police don't seem to have any interest as the only response I got was an e-mail stating that my report was approved - what the hell does that mean? They don't want photos or video? I have since turned over to my local news and I'm hoping they will publish the photos.

Now for the bad news: the guy intercepted my new debit card, activated it, and made about 150 charges for over $6k. He has also come back as my mail box has been broken open about 4-5 times since the original event.

I considered a booby trap but figure this might get me arrested or worse....gang retaliation.

So, now I'm thinking I will set the idiot up. And, I know he's an idiot because he stole one of my security cameras and I got the whole thing on video. I guess he thinks the tape recorder is inside the camera...

I would like to know if anyone has any recommendations for a GPS tracker. Something I could put inside a package and set this guy up, the follow him home and of course, get the police involved. So far, all of the trackers I've found online require a monthly service. Many state that they require a sim card (which I'm not sure how that works).

Any advice would be great. I really need to catch this guy.

Photos of the Bandit:

[Vipergrün]

I like the booby trap option better :--) Or perhaps an exploding GPS device...LOL

[craigster59]

What a dick! I don't have any advice on tracking, but I hope you catch the guy. Man, I hate thieves. I'd go with a remote controlled "Bouncing Betty", also known as a castration mine.

[Mothy]

Get an old Apple iPhone, have a cheap SIM installed and activated, Turn on the "Find my iPhone" function and leave for him to collect. From memory you can set it up so he won't know it's active and if he turns the phone on, you will be able to find it's last known position.

Have one permanently wired into my car - for a small fee per month for the SIM (which makes no calls) I have a car tracking device. Using the same principle, your only issue is making sure the battery if charged.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Vipergrün

I like the booby trap option better :--) Or perhaps an exploding GPS device...LOL

I considered a trap...in fact I made one but on the advice of my attorney, it was strongly discouraged and I've got too much to lose. Although If I catch him in person, he will attempt to assault me inside my own home and then I will ........ do the math.

Now, just for fantasy....I took a very large rat trap, hammered about eight 1" nails from the bottom so that they would stick out about 1/2 inch on top. Bent over the nails just slightly (kind of like carpet tacks), then spray painted black. Filled the mailbox with fake mail including a utility bill covering the trap, which was stuck into place with double stick. This means that to get out of the trap, he has to put his other arm all the way into the mailbox to release the trap (tight squeeze) otherwise pull his hand out with lots of little rusty nails in his fingers and pull hard enough to break the hold of the double stick, naturally, I'd use super HD industrial. Hopefully, this would give me just enough time to get outside and give him a matching set of broken legs......Ahh, but this is just a fantasy.

Of course, setting him up with a gps tracker could be very satisfying.

[rusnak]

Uh..that is NOT a gang member. I'd beat him with a tire iron.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Uh..that is NOT a gang member. I'd beat him with a tire iron.

+1

He did take the precaution of stepping over the sidewalk shrubs. Shows he has some sensitivity. Could be a decent guy save the felony(s).

Tire iron would be just about right.

[rusnak]

well schit happens. People get beat with tire irons. Even sensitive felons. Especially ones who steal upwards of $6K from me.

[javadog]

I'd probably buy a couple Radio Shack electric eyes and place them a ways from the house in his path. I'd run a wire from these, into the house, so that I got alerted when he was approaching the house. I'd probably sleep a few nights near the front door, with my clothes and shoes on. I'd probably have at my side a means of defending myself. I'd probably also invite one of my dogs to sleep with me. Probably the pit bull. He's warm, doesn't snore and he likes to chase things that run from him.

JR

[sc_rufctr]

Just thinking out aloud but maybe there's another way to get him.

How is he getting to your house? Is he catching a bus or driving a car?
Being late at night, probably driving. So were would he park his car? Is there a shopping centre or public car park near your house? If there is I would bet that's were he's parking.
Crooks generally don't park their cars near the houses they visit but it wouldn't be far away either. Maybe the next street or so and your house wouldn't be the only place he'd be visiting.

So you know what he looks like and were his car may be. So can you stay at a neighbours house and wait for him? Or can you stake out the car park if there is one?
Is there a patern to the visits? Days, Times, Etc...

The point is if you can get the details of the car the police should act. Please don't try and arrest him yourself. There's no need to put yourself in harms way.

[id10t]

Have you tried your local postmaster? Check with them, let them know that local police don't care to do anything. Also, assuming your bank gave you back your $$ from the stolen card, give them the info as well.

[Cajundaddy]

These guys are creatures of habit. They often run a little theft route on the same day each week at nearly the same time. If you were a hunter, he was a large buck, and you knew he worked the same trail every week you would....

The cops don't care about this stuff at all but Postal inspectors take it more seriously. Send em the pics and ask for some help. Those card transactions should be traceable.

This should work also:
http://gizmodo.com/5691724/how-to-track-your-vehicle-on-the-cheap

[RWebb]

the iPhone thing above works - you have great pics of him so that will make it easy

he looks pretty pudgy and easy to beat senseless

for you enjoyment, here is story this am about a 72 year old woman in town who beat up a 22 year old "man" with a metal pole

Burglary suspect gets ‘barred’ | Local News | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Just thinking out aloud but maybe there's another way to get him.

How is he getting to your house? Is he catching a bus or driving a car?
Being late at night, probably driving. So were would he park his car? Is there a shopping centre or public car park near your house? If there is I would bet that's were he's parking.
Crooks generally don't park their cars near the houses they visit but it wouldn't be far away either. Maybe the next street or so and your house wouldn't be the only place he'd be visiting.

So you know what he looks like and were his car may be. So can you stay at a neighbours house and wait for him? Or can you stake out the car park if there is one?
Is there a patern to the visits? Days, Times, Etc...

The point is if you can get the details of the car the police should act. Please don't try and arrest him yourself. There's no need to put yourself in harms way.

I believe that this guy is on foot. I live in a heavily tree'd neighborhood in the center of the city and so my neighborhood is a frequent spot for joggers. My other cameras spotted him walking from the end of the block. This makes me think that he lives nearby in one of the surrounding neighborhoods. Also, there are absolutely zero cars parked on the streets in this neighborhood so any car would standout like a sore thumb.

After I sent the photos to our neighborhood watch (which covers about 2 miles long by 3 blocks wide) two separate people recognized this guy. One of these people is positive they chased him off their 2nd floor balcony about 6 months ago. The other person thinks this is a guy they saw breaking mailbox, in which they called the police but the guy was gone before the police arrived.

I sent the photos and a story to our local newspaper last night and I hope they will find it interesting enough to print. I am also going to contact our local TV stations.

I'm not going to try and detain him myself (although I know I could easily take his butt down). I think the biggest bang for my buck is to trick him with GPS and find out where he lives. I suspect the police will find far more than my mail - maybe even a couple of partners in crime.

[sc_rufctr]

Any updates Vern?

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Any updates Vern?

I finally got a statement from my bank with all of the charges. The amount he charged is over $5k and the bank refunded all of it.

What worries me the most is the type of charges; over 35 charges to a company called checkmate.com and when I looked into this, these charges were for background checks. I suspect that he steals mail from lots of people and then do background checks on them to get all personal data available.

He also charged $200 to Alladin financial which is a bail bond company so it looks like he bailed someone out with a stolen credit card.

He charged to a company called mycare.com which is a service for sending people in prison, gifts. You buy from this site and they make sure everything is packed according to a particular prison.

The rest of the charges were for prepaid cell phones and phone cards. The bank and the US Postal Inspector have requested copies of the video and photos as well as the bank statement and charges - I have sent everything to them.

I contacted a news station and they did a story and blasted the guy's photo on tv. After that, I got calls from two other stations that also did stories.

I bought another new locking mailbox that is a lot more heavy duty and that's all I can do. I'm hoping that the police are able to track this guy down by his charges.

[Bill Douglas]

I used to do stake outs. They are not as boring as you would expect - and this may be a solution to the problem. Then beat the schit out of him in self defense.

[dad911]

Mail yourself a bottle of cologne, but refill it with skunk-scent.......

[javadog]

There's enough info available that the cops could probably track this guy down. You should pester them to get involved.

JR

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

I finally got a statement from my bank with all of the charges. The amount he charged is over $5k and the bank refunded all of it.

What worries me the most is the type of charges; over 35 charges to a company called checkmate.com and when I looked into this, these charges were for background checks. I suspect that he steals mail from lots of people and then do background checks on them to get all personal data available.

He also charged $200 to Alladin financial which is a bail bond company so it looks like he bailed someone out with a stolen credit card.

He charged to a company called mycare.com which is a service for sending people in prison, gifts. You buy from this site and they make sure everything is packed according to a particular prison.

The rest of the charges were for prepaid cell phones and phone cards. The bank and the US Postal Inspector have requested copies of the video and photos as well as the bank statement and charges - I have sent everything to them.

I contacted a news station and they did a story and blasted the guy's photo on tv. After that, I got calls from two other stations that also did stories.

I bought another new locking mailbox that is a lot more heavy duty and that's all I can do. I'm hoping that the police are able to track this guy down by his charges.

That's some good results.

Who did he send a present to in prison? What more do they need?
Surely the cops have enough to find this guy.