With its sweeping fields, farmers' markets and quaint town living, Hertfordshire has long been one of the most desirable home counties. Its rural towns are scattered across the county and linked mainly by winding roads, so for most residents a car is essential.
That affluence has made Hertfordshire vehicles a target for organised car theft gangs. Hertfordshire Constabulary recorded almost 1,700 vehicle thefts between April and December 2024, an increase of around 12% year on year, and more than half of those were keyless entry models taken from driveways overnight. Police have highlighted Dacorum, covering Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring, and Hertsmere, covering Borehamwood, Bushey, Potters Bar and Radlett, as the districts with the highest number of incidents, while the London facing areas of Watford and Broxbourne along the M25, A1(M) and M1 corridors also see high volumes. That is why the importance of car trackers in Hertfordshire has grown so significantly.
What is relay theft?
As keyless entry has become standard on the production line, the number of cars stolen using techniques such as relay theft has risen sharply. Relay theft is a simple, quick, covert and highly effective method.
Thieves use basic radio transmission equipment, which is widely available and inexpensive online, to capture the signal from your key fob while they are in close proximity. This can happen as you walk away from your car in a supermarket car park, or while the fob sits on the kitchen table inside your home. The thief does not even need to enter the property, as they can pick up the transmission from outside the front door. Nationally, keyfob signal manipulation and cloning now account for well over half of all car thefts, which is causing motorists and insurers across Hertfordshire major concern.
Car tracker installation in Hertfordshire
The good news is that, although relay theft is highly effective, Trackershop provides a full mobile installation service for the very best car trackers, which counteract the techniques thieves are currently using.
The majority of car thefts are carried out at night at the owner's home, either by stealing the keys or through relay theft. Imagine waking up, looking out of the window and seeing your vehicle gone from the driveway. Without a GPS tracker, once your car is gone the chances of ever seeing it again are depressingly low, and this has become a common reality for many keyless car owners.
As claims for stolen vehicles that are never recovered have risen, so has the cost of car insurance. In response, insurers are actively incentivising motorists to install car trackers in Hertfordshire and across the UK. Premium discounts are offered to owners who fit a Thatcham approved tracker, which helps subsidise the cost of the device and can often cancel out the cost of installation entirely.
For the most highly targeted vehicles, such as many Range Rover and BMW models, insurers will categorically not cover the vehicle against theft unless a Thatcham approved tracker is fitted first. Regardless of the insurance requirement, the peace of mind of knowing your vehicle is secure is invaluable, and a tracker gives you the best possible chance of a quick recovery. The long term direct and indirect savings can also be greater than you might first think.
The direct and indirect cost of vehicle theft
• Loss of your no claims bonus
• Loss of your insurance excess
• An increase in your insurance premium
• Car hire costs
• Inconvenience, stress and lost time
Here are just a few of the benefits of installing a car tracker in Hertfordshire.
Global real time tracking
Wherever your vehicle is in the world, it can be followed through real time tracking. Your tracker is installed with a multi roaming SIM, so it automatically switches to the strongest network coverage in any area, whether in the UK, Europe or beyond. The majority of stolen vehicles fitted with a tracker never make it out of the UK and are typically recovered within hours of being reported stolen.
24/7 control room monitoring
This does not mean your every move is watched. The control room is staffed around the clock by fully trained operatives who respond to any alerts your tracker raises. Once a theft is confirmed, they log in to your mapping and work directly with the police, guiding them swiftly and accurately to your vehicle.
Dedicated recovery team
Alongside the police response, the control room deploys its own security recovery team. If they are first on the scene, they will guard the vehicle until it can be safely moved.
Tracking app
During normal daily use, you have full access to your own mapping app, so you can see where your vehicle is at any time from the palm of your hand. It is reassuring day to day, and useful when you are trying to find your car in the Waitrose car park.
Best car trackers fitted in Hertfordshire
S5 tracker
In addition to the features above, the S5 car tracker includes the highly efficient ADR (Automatic Driver Recognition) system, a fast response defence against key theft and cloning. As the owner, you carry a small ADR proximity fob when using your vehicle, which allows the S5 to recognise you as an authorised driver. If the ignition is ever started, with or without the genuine key, an alert is raised immediately in the control room. They then contact you to confirm whether the vehicle has been stolen and, in the event of a theft, work directly with the police to recover it. Take a look at the S5 trackers here.
S7 tracker
The S7 is the entry level Thatcham approved stolen vehicle recovery tracker, and as a result it is the most popular car tracker installed in Hertfordshire and the home counties. Take a look at the S7 trackers here.
To find out more about the best car trackers for your vehicle in Hertfordshire, contact our team on 0330 055 2777 or email info@trackershop-uk.com. You can also browse our full range of insurance approved car trackers.
Car tracker and immobiliser in Hertfordshire
If you want the most comprehensive vehicle security available, the ScorpionTrack S5 PLUS is exactly what you need. It is an S5 car tracker and immobiliser in one, with the immobiliser controlled by you via your ADR fob or app.
The added immobiliser means only you, and any other drivers you permit, can start the vehicle. Even if a thief has stolen or cloned your keys, they cannot start the ignition. The only way to move the vehicle is by towing or lifting, both of which trigger an instant motion alert in the 24/7 control room.
Mobile installation across Hertfordshire
Trackershop offers a fully mobile installation service across the whole of Hertfordshire, usually within 1 to 3 working days. Our engineers come to wherever your vehicle is, whether that is your home, your workplace or the dealership. We cover Watford, St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Hitchin, Bishop's Stortford, Berkhamsted, Borehamwood, Potters Bar, Bushey, Rickmansworth and the surrounding towns.
Frequently asked questions
Are your car trackers insurance approved?
Yes. Our S5 and S7 trackers are Thatcham approved and accepted by insurers. Fitting one can help you meet policy requirements and may reduce your premium.
Which tracker do I need for a Range Rover or BMW in Hertfordshire?
High value and high risk models such as many Range Rover and BMW variants usually require an S5 tracker, and some insurers will not cover them for theft without one. The S5 adds ADR driver recognition for the fastest theft detection.
Do you offer mobile installation in Hertfordshire?
Yes. Our engineers install at a time and location that suits you, whether at home, at work or at a dealership, right across Hertfordshire, usually within 1 to 3 working days.
Will a tracker protect my car against relay and keyless theft?
Yes. The S5 tracker triggers an instant control room alert even when a thief has cloned or stolen your key, and the ScorpionTrack S5 PLUS adds a driver controlled immobiliser so the vehicle cannot be started at all.
What areas of Hertfordshire do you cover?
We cover the whole county, including Watford, St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Hitchin, Bishop's Stortford, Berkhamsted, Borehamwood, Potters Bar, Bushey and Rickmansworth.
