Landscaping Business Uses GPS Tracking to Uncover Lawn Equipment Heist

22 Oct 2015

Local Sarasota business successfully tracks down criminals following a major landscaping theft.

Two burglars attempted to steal tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of landscaping equipment, only to find out they targeted the wrong company. That company was ArtisTree Landscape, located in Sarasota, Florida. The company was already aware of the threat of a burglary and planned ahead by using advanced GPS tracking technology.

In the evening on a Sunday, two burglars entered the property of ArtisTree Landscape with a plan to steal the expensive equipment. They brought an ax with them that helped them break through a brick wall to gain entry. After breaking in, they began stealing everything they could.

The men took a pickup truck from the company in order to steal the equipment, as well as one of the company’s trailers. They also took thousands of dollars’ worth of lawn equipment, hauling it away in the truck and trailer.

Unfortunately for them, their victory didn’t last long. Jeremy Lepper, the account executive for ArtisTree, looked at their surveillance cameras following the theft to see how everything went down. The stolen truck had a GPS device that alerted him as soon as the events took place. He watched on surveillance cameras as the men broke a window in the office area to disable alarm equipment that helped them steal the landscaping equipment.

The thieves were there for more than two hours, stealing the equipment and anything else they could get their hands on. The following day, Lepper and local police tracked down the truck the day after the theft, using the GPS tracking device as a guide. They tracked the truck to Miami where the thieves were parked in front of a house. The thief was inside the home, assumingly thinking he had gotten away with the crime.

The GPS tracker helped police find and arrest Rauniel Quintero, who was in charge of the heist operation. The tracking device combined with the surveillance cameras helped catch the criminals.

Since Lepper installed the surveillance cameras in areas around the property where they weren’t obvious, they were not broken or torn down by the thieves in an attempt to cover their own tracks. They were crucial in helping to catch the criminals.

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About George Karonis

George Karonis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LiveViewGPS Inc., a company he established in 2008 with the vision of making real-time GPS tracking more reliable, affordable, and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as an innovator in GPS tracking, fleet management, asset monitoring, and Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) communications. Under George's leadership, LiveViewGPS has grown into a nationally recognized provider of GPS tracking solutions, serving businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, law enforcement organizations, and public works departments throughout the United States. The company's technology helps organizations improve operational efficiency, protect valuable assets, increase driver safety, and reduce operating costs through real-time location intelligence. Before founding LiveViewGPS, George developed a background in security, surveillance, and emerging location technologies. His passion for innovation and practical problem solving has driven the development of products that combine dependable hardware with easy-to-use cloud software, giving customers actionable information when it matters most. In 2018, George expanded into nationwide Push-to-Talk over Cellular communications by launching PeakPTT, providing businesses with rugged, instant communication solutions that operate over LTE and Wi-Fi networks. His focus has remained the same throughout his career: delivering dependable technology backed by exceptional customer service and long-term customer relationships. George regularly writes about GPS tracking, fleet management, asset protection, business technology, and communication systems. Through this blog, he shares industry insights, practical advice, and emerging trends to help organizations make informed decisions about tracking technology and connected operations.