Anti-theft Technology Helps Recover Stolen Total Station in the UK

Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, is informing surveying professionals about a recent event in Manchester, UK, in which LOC8, an asset-tracking platform, was instrumental in the recovery of a stolen Leica TS16 total station. A site engineer with PLP Construction reported to Greater Manchester Police that his total station hired from M&P Survey Equipment had been stolen from his vehicle. The total station was equipped with the LOC8 technology and was therefore tracked continuously throughout the incident.

Once notified, the hire desk was able to locate the total station at a residential address in Lancashire. The local authorities were on scene within 10 minutes to retrieve the instrument, returning it safely to the engineer.    

“We have recently been the victim of theft of surveying equipment from one of our vehicles at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday evening. M&P Survey Equipment was informed, and we received assistance immediately even at this time on a Friday by supplying us with live location information throughout the following few hours,” said John Dunne, contracts manager at PLP Construction. “We recovered the equipment just after 8 p.m. with assistance from the police. We are very impressed with the accuracy of the tracking locator and the assistance that we received from the crew at M&P Survey Equipment.”

Deterring thefts with pinpoint tracking

Using real-time, on-demand GPS tracking, LOC8 tracks assets across geographical boundaries. Going beyond just tracking, LOC8 enables the remote lock or unlock of total stations through an app or web account. Further deterring thefts, LOC8 also uses GeoFences to immediately alert owners if an instrument is removed from a particular area that has set virtual boundaries, such as work sites or office locations.

“Theft of surveying equipment has increased significantly causing everyone in the industry to take action and provide better, safer working practices and environments,” said Mark Francis, Leica Geosystems geomatics market segment manager for the UK and Ireland. “Innovations such as LOC8 enable Leica Geosystems to stand up against theft and change the perception that our equipment is a soft target, whilst increasing the likelihood of the police knocking on the perpetrator’s door.”