GPS Tracking Devices Now Small Enough To Be Hidden In Valuables

Containerization of sea-going cargos has led to a situation where valuable freight can be out of reach of its owners for long periods of time; owners are increasingly using GPS tracking devices to monitor the progress of a shipment and to locate a container should it go missing or be deposited at the wrong port. This avoids a massive operation to try to locate one container amongst many thousands of similar items and the many man-hours involved. More importantly, clients can be constantly kept updated on the progress of journeys and estimate time of arrival.

GPS tracking devices have become so small as a result of improved miniaturization, they can now be incorporated into valuables such as works of art and antiquities held in museums. GPS tracking systems enable owners as well as managers to keep a vigilant watch on their priceless commodities for quite a nominal investment. If a museum is broken into, the thief would have no knowledge of the presence of a device until the law enforcement officers catch up with them and retrieve the articles; they could even monitor the cargo for a couple of months to see who has ordered the theft.

Globally, the demand for tracking systems increases in line with the need to protect assets from criminals.