Once the “pandemic” effect ends, car thefts in Italy begin again, with a substantial increase over previous years. Central and southern regions are the hardest hit (Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Sicily) by increasingly organized and technologically equipped criminals. The most sought-after models are small or medium-sized cars and SUVs. How to defend themselves? With satellite technology. These are the main points that emerge from the Viasat Observatory 2023.
Going into the details of the research, in 2022 (according to unconsolidated data from the Traffic Police) 89,551 cars, off-road vehicles, and vans were stolen in Italy (7,463 per month, 249 per day, more than 10 every hour), 19% more than the previous year when there were 75,471. On the discovery front, however, the news is a little more comforting. Nearly 37,000 cars were found (41 per cent of the total, marking a 29% increase over the previous year).
Car thefts are a favourite activity of ‘cyber thieves’ who only need a few seconds to be able to open the door, start the vehicle and drive away. In this regard, satellite technology is certainly the safest method by allowing the vehicle to be protected and, if stolen, found through geolocation.
In recent years, satellite devices have become increasingly reliable, advanced and thief-proof. Viasat’s ones, thanks to the activity of its H24 Operations Centers, allow a significantly higher detection rate than the national figure. And they represent an effective counter to thefts carried out with the help of jammers (electronic GSM and GPS signal jamming tools) allowing them to intercept the signal jamming, blocking the vehicle and activating all the intervention procedures of the Police.