Wildlife GPS Tracking Collars Lead to Recovery of Stolen Trailer
6 Jun 2017
A trailer that was recently stolen in Boise, Idaho has been recovered using GPS tracking in a somewhat unusual way. The Idaho Fish and Game trailer that was taken from the headquarters of the agency contained a number of GPS tracking collars. It was these wildlife tracking collars that helped lead police to the vehicle.
As the thief made his getaway, he drove across two states towards a remote canyon in Utah, dumping the wildlife tracking devices along the way. The unsuspecting criminal effectively left a trail for the authorities to follow.
The collars don’t transmit a signal while kept in storage, however, dumping them from the trailer activated some of the pieces of equipment. Biologists picked up on these unscheduled signals, traced them and discovered a box of collars. Some were found off Interstate 84, with others being dropped in Mountain Home and Jerome.
Although the trail then went cold, a member of the public reported the trailer being dumped in a canyon to the east of Logan, where it was later recovered by authorities.
The unmarked trailer that has been valued at $100,000 including its contents, is 4.25 meters long. It was taken on April 8 from an unsecured lot where it was parked temporarily at the Fish and Game headquarters in Boise. The vehicle along with the expensive tracking equipment are usually stored in a secure facility. However, it had been moved as the original secured lot is close to the Boise River that’s in danger of flooding.
The trailer contained high-value goods and specialist equipment including several dozen trackers ranging in value from $500 to $2,000. It also held several giant nets for capturing elk and deer as well as ear tag supplies and dart guns.
Luckily for the Idaho Fish and Game staff, the majority of these expensive items appeared to still be within the trailer. However, officials have still to undertake a complete inventory to ascertain if anything was stolen as the equipment needs to be used in the fall for their capturing operations.
Currently, officials are considering the option of putting Idaho Fish and Game markings on the trailer so it’s more easily identifiable if it’s stolen in the future.
Police have identified a suspect, and are still to release their name.
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