Use case · Security
Theft protection and recovery of stolen vehicles
Vehicle theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes worldwide, as thieves increasingly rely on advanced equipment. By interfering with GSM or GNSS signals (jamming) or disconnecting GPS trackers from the vehicle, criminals attempt to disrupt and prevent a tracking device from working – that is, its ability to monitor and record important information. Teltonika trackers, however, have a function that detects jamming and helps prevent theft or recover a stolen vehicle.
Image: Teltonika Telematics
The challenge
Experienced thieves can be highly organised and steal a vehicle in seconds. At the same time, the police fail to recover more than half of stolen vehicles. For criminals, this is a low-risk way to make a fortune. Statistics from the British car magazine “What Car?”, for example, show that 54,830 vehicles were reported stolen in the United Kingdom in 2025 – an average of 150 vehicles per day.
Above all, thieves target vehicles that are easy to steal, i.e. that can be taken quickly and without attracting attention. Speed is crucial for thieves, as they run the risk of being caught and want to get away as quickly as possible. So if you want to make your vehicle or fleet less attractive to thieves, think about how you can slow them down during the theft – just a few seconds can make the difference.
The solution
Anything that forces thieves and joyriders to spend more time on a vehicle makes it a much less attractive target. This is the most effective way to prevent car theft and make criminals look for something else.
How it works – Teltonika offers a range of GPS trackers with extensive functions for theft protection and the recovery of stolen vehicles, such as the devices in the FMx920 series. They are ideal for anyone looking for a simple solution. They are compact and easy to hide in the vehicle, so that your vehicle can easily be tracked and recovered in the event of theft.
Thieves often try to interrupt communication between the tracker and the portal in order to disable the device. This is usually done by jamming to block the tracker's GSM or GNSS signal. With the Teltonika FTC924 series, however, such an event can be detected and one of the following jamming responses can be activated:
Activate alarm system Vehicles have different alarm systems, but professional thieves know how to disable them and remain unnoticed throughout the theft. A Teltonika tracker with jamming detection can help prevent theft by distracting the perpetrators with an additional alarm system connected to the tracker.
Block engine start Blocks the ability to start the engine. If jamming is detected, the tracker can disable the vehicle's starter so that the engine cannot be started at all. This is likely to cost thieves additional time or even make them abandon the theft.
Central locking Locks all vehicle doors. With all doors locked, thieves have to make more effort to get into the vehicle, or cannot break in at all.
In addition, the FTC924 trackers offer a range of functions that make vehicles more secure and inform drivers about suspicious activity. One of these is towing detection, which alerts the driver to unexpected movements of the parked vehicle. The FTC924 generates an event if the vehicle is towed or lifted, for example when it is being taken away.
Nor do you need to worry about thieves finding and unplugging the GPS tracker: the integrated unplug detection ensures that drivers know when the GPS connection is lost – an event is generated when the tracker is unplugged or reconnected.
You can also use the auto geofence function to define specific zones and receive notifications when your vehicle moves out of these areas – based on the last known position after movement has stopped and the ignition has been switched off. Drivers can specify whether entering or leaving the geofence zone should trigger an event and a notification. This function provides additional control and an overview of the vehicle's movements.
If a tracker with extended self-powered location monitoring is required, the FTC164 and FTM164 trackers are available. They are equipped with a powerful 2,600 mAh battery which, together with the special power-off sleep mode, enables self-powered operation for up to 150 days with one record sent per day. If the power supply to the tracker is cut during the recovery of a stolen vehicle, its long self-powered operation means it can continue to send position data without an external power supply – giving the police more time to find the stolen vehicle.
This extended location monitoring is also essential for strict European certification standards such as Kiwa SCM in the Netherlands, Thatcham Research in the United Kingdom and Forsikring & Pension in Denmark. Thanks to input and output integration, the FTx164 covers both basic track-&-trace and advanced security levels, and supports immobilisation, door status monitoring, ignition detection and driver identification.
In addition, the FTC164 and FTM164 have an IP69K-rated housing, which offers a high level of protection and makes the devices suitable for almost any vehicle – including vehicles in harsh environments. An IP69K housing is also one of the key requirements for the certifications mentioned.
In summary, Teltonika GPS vehicle trackers offer a versatile solution for minimising the risk of your vehicle being stolen. By slowing thieves down and informing owners of unauthorised movements, these trackers increase security and the chances of recovery in the event of theft. As vehicle theft is a growing concern worldwide, the importance of effective tracking solutions can hardly be overstated.
System overview
Graphic: Teltonika Telematics
Your benefits
Protect your vehicle
Prevent losses by detecting suspicious behaviour, activating or deactivating certain vehicle systems and effectively slowing down car thieves.
Extended recovery window
Up to 150 days of self-sufficient tracking with position reports in the event of theft.
Tamper alerts
Notifications when the tracker is disconnected – so you are always informed about possible tampering.
Advanced jamming detection
Detection of attempts to jam GNSS or GSM radio signals.
Real-time monitoring
Instant real-time notifications provide protection against crime.
Devices used
Devices from Teltonika – available from way4net to buy or rent, bundled with the way4net Portal.
FMx920
Compact tracker series that is easy to conceal in the vehicle – a simple solution for tracking and recovering stolen vehicles.
Learn more →
FTC924
Tracker with jamming detection that can then control the alarm system, engine immobiliser or central locking, and additionally offers towing detection, unplug detection and auto geofence.
Learn more →
FTC164
Tracker with a 2,600 mAh battery for up to 150 days of autonomous tracking, IP69K housing, and inputs/outputs for immobiliser, door status, ignition detection and driver identification.
Learn more →
FTM164
Variant with a 2,600 mAh battery for up to 150 days of autonomous tracking and IP69K housing, suitable for the European security certifications mentioned.
Learn more →
Note
Content and graphics based on the use case by Teltonika Telematics (original on teltonika-gps.com), translated and adapted for way4net. Device data according to manufacturer specifications. Together, we will work out which devices and functions suit your application – and you can test the solution with a 14-day trial.
Get started
14-day trial
Talk to us about your requirements. We will put together a suitable solution that you can test for 14 days. Prices are quoted individually based on scope and requirements.
Available Mon–Thu 09:00–17:00 and Fri 09:00–15:00.
