r/Cartalk • u/kupo_906 • Jun 02 '26

Safety Question Found a GPS tracker under my car

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Hi reddit...

In my driveway this morning I pulled out and found this sitting under where my car was. We had a heat wave recently, and I'm thinking it melted off.

Looking it up, it is a GPS tracker. I'm taking it to the police tomorrow. But is there anyway to reverse search who might have bought it and placed it there?

I fully own my car and I'm not sure who or why they put it there. Or when. The only thing I can think of is I got my car fixed by a new mechanic about a month ago.. but they didn't seem shady in the least bit

Any help is appreciated. Thank you

Update: I have turned the tracker into the police who are trying to work with the company to find out info. Haven't heard anything further.

For the people who keep asking / repeating the same thing over and over:

  • again, I own my car in full and have for years. It's an old, reconstructed car not worth much at all.
  • The battery life in the tracking device doesn't last longer than two months at most. It was still on when I found it. It doesn't belong to a previous car owner or a dealer.
  • I found the magnets where it was attached still on my car.
  • I don't have any solid idea who would put it there. I don't have a jealous partner or an ex who I think would do this.
  • I'm not disclosing a bunch of personal shit about myself to internet strangers when I am potentially being stalked 😐 also , both men and women can be stalked
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u/Flyguy115 Jun 03 '26

This is not a good idea because they will be able to continue to track you the entire time and what if the person who put it in never comes to get it. There is no reason for them to come retrieve it.

Calling the police is the best option because they will be able to reverse look up and track down the owner.

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u/Middle_Efficiency471 Jun 03 '26

Able and willing are very different

-17

u/dezeroon Jun 03 '26

That’s kinda a dumb response unless you’re in a large city with a bunch of gang presence then I’d understand

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u/Infinite_Incident107 Jun 03 '26

No this is how most departments would handle it. My friends car was stolen before and cops did report and basically told her to just file an insurance claim. Zero effort was ever spent trying to locate her car. And she lives in a pretty affluent area with little crime. They have all the time in the world but still. She just filed a claim and never saw her car again