Police in Luxembourg warn that criminals are using hidden trackers to monitor and steal cars, with keyless vehicles particularly at risk and nearly 600 stolen last year.
Police in Luxembourg are warning the public about the growing use of trackers that allow criminals to monitor vehicles and steal them once they are parked.
In 2024, around 4,000 cars were targeted in break-ins, with nearly 600 vehicles stolen. These figures have been steadily rising in recent years. One emerging form of crime, known as 'tracking', involves criminals locating a car so they can break into it as soon as it is parked.
A tracker is a small device that can be quickly attached under a car, enabling the vehicle to be monitored. Using such a device, thieves can track a car's precise location, movements, and parking spots.
A tracker was recently discovered in a car in the municipality of Putscheid, and an investigation is ongoing. Authorities do not yet have precise figures on the total number of vehicles affected.
Organised gangs are believed to be the main perpetrators of this type of crime. Marc Ragnacci, Head of the Luxembourg Police's prevention service, explained: "When I first heard about this, I wondered whether it might be a domestic issue – perhaps a harasser wanting to know a woman's whereabouts, or a divorce-related matter. That can happen too."
While attaching a tracker is one step, stealing a vehicle is another. Cars with 'keyless' systems, which use sensors rather than traditional keys, are particularly vulnerable. Criminals can copy the key code if the key is left near the front door, so it is strongly advised not to leave keys in immediate proximity to entrances.
Other preventive measures include parking in a garage rather than outdoors whenever possible and always ensuring that vehicles are properly locked. Neglecting these precautions, authorities warn, can make cars an easy target.
