What Happens After Your Vehicle Is Stolen? How SmarTrack Helps with Vehicle Recovery

When choosing a vehicle tracker, it’s easy to concentrate on the technology. 

GPS tracking. Driver Detection. Movement alerts. Immobilisation. Thatcham certification. 

But there is another question that is arguably even more important: 

What actually happens if your vehicle is stolen? 

A vehicle tracker is only one part of the recovery process. Behind SmarTrack is a 24/7 monitoring and stolen vehicle recovery service provided by the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre. 

From identifying suspicious activity to working with the police and deploying specialist Repatriation agents, there is an entire team behind your SmarTrack system. 

Here’s what happens when you need them most. 

Your SmarTrack Tracker Is Professionally Monitored 

SmarTrack stolen vehicle tracking systems are monitored by the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

This is an important distinction between a professionally monitored vehicle tracking system and a basic GPS location device. 

Depending on the SmarTrack product installed, the system can provide information and alerts including: 

• Vehicle location 

• Unexpected vehicle movement 

• Vehicle battery disconnection 

• Low vehicle battery 

• Driver Detection alerts 

• Other monitored events supported by the individual system 

If suspicious activity is detected, the Secure Control Centre can contact the customer to establish whether their vehicle is safe. 

What Should I Do If My Vehicle Is Stolen? 

If you discover that your vehicle has been stolen, do not attempt to recover it yourself. 

Report the theft to the police and obtain a crime reference or incident number. You should then contact the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre using the dedicated theft number. 

Once the theft has been confirmed, the recovery process can begin. 

The team can use information supplied by your SmarTrack system to assist in locating the vehicle and liaise with the relevant police authorities. 

This means you aren’t simply left looking at the location of your stolen vehicle on an app and wondering what to do next. 

Working with the Police 

Stolen vehicle recovery can require coordination between the vehicle owner, the Secure Control Centre and the police. 

Once a theft is confirmed, Global Telemetrics can monitor available tracking information and communicate relevant information to the authorities to assist with the recovery. 

SmarTrack systems also use multiple tracking technologies rather than relying solely on GPS, providing additional methods of locating vehicles where supported by the product. 

But the recovery service doesn’t necessarily end there. 

Meet the Global Telemetrics Repatriations Team 

One of the major benefits behind a monitored SmarTrack system is access to Global Telemetrics’ specialist Auto-Crime Investigation Repatriations Team. 

The Repatriations Team works alongside the Secure Control Centre and police authorities to assist with stolen vehicle recoveries. 

Where appropriate, Repatriation agents can travel to the location of a stolen vehicle, monitor and safeguard it until the police are able to attend, and assist with bringing the recovery to a safe conclusion. 

Want to see how the Repatriations Team works in the real world? Watch as automotive YouTuber Mark McCann joins the Global Telemetrics team to get an inside look at the work that goes into locating and recovering stolen vehicles. Watch Mark McCann with the Global Telemetrics Repatriations Team on YouTube. 

This provides an important physical link between tracking a stolen vehicle and getting it back. 

Vehicle Tracking Is About More Than a Dot on a Map 

Knowing where your vehicle is located can be extremely useful. 

But what happens with that information is what really matters. 

Imagine discovering your vehicle has been stolen and your tracking app shows it parked miles away. 

Would you want to go looking for it yourself? 

You shouldn’t have to. 

With a professionally monitored SmarTrack system, there is a team available to help manage the situation, work with the authorities and assist with the recovery. 

That’s the difference between simply tracking a vehicle and having a stolen vehicle recovery service behind it. 

SmarTrack Stolen Vehicle Recovery in Action 

During 2025 alone, Global Telemetrics recovered £29.8 million worth of stolen vehicles protected by monitored tracking systems. 

Those recoveries weren’t limited to one particular type of vehicle. 

SmarTrack tracking systems can be used across a wide range of vehicles and assets, including: 

• Cars 

• Vans 

• Motorhomes 

• Caravans 

• Motorcycles 

• HGVs 

• Agricultural vehicles 

• Plant and machinery 

• Trailers 

• Marine 

Vehicle theft isn’t exclusively a problem for owners of prestige cars. Whether it’s a family car, work van, motorhome or piece of machinery, losing a vehicle can have a significant financial and practical impact. 

Prevention Is Important. Recovery Matters Too. 

Good vehicle security should always start with making your vehicle more difficult to steal. 

Physical security, sensible key storage, factory security systems and additional immobilisation can all form part of a layered approach. 

But no security measure can guarantee that a determined thief won’t succeed. 

That’s where stolen vehicle tracking becomes particularly important. 

Rather than only focusing on stopping the theft, a professionally monitored tracking system provides a plan for what happens next. 

Which SmarTrack System Should I Choose? 

SmarTrack offers different levels of protection depending on your vehicle, requirements and insurer. 

S7 – professionally monitored vehicle tracking for customers wanting an effective and cost-conscious stolen vehicle tracking solution. 

S5 – tracking combined with Driver Detection, providing an additional method of identifying potentially unauthorised vehicle movement. 

S5+ – builds on S5 protection with remote immobilisation capability at police request. 

S5+ iMOB – combines SmarTrack tracking and Driver Detection with No Tag, No Start automatic immobilisation for an additional layer of protection. 

Your insurer may specify a particular level of tracking system, so always check their exact requirements before arranging an installation. 

SmarTrack: Technology Backed by People 

When you purchase a SmarTrack system, you’re not simply installing a tracking device. 

You’re connecting your vehicle to a professionally monitored stolen vehicle recovery service. 

SmarTrack provides the tracking technology, while Global Telemetrics provides the Secure Control Centre, monitoring and recovery support behind it. 

So if the worst happens, there is a team ready to help. 

Because when your vehicle disappears from the driveway, seeing where it has gone is only the beginning. Getting it back is what really matters. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are SmarTrack trackers monitored 24/7? 

Yes. SmarTrack stolen vehicle tracking systems are professionally monitored by the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

What should I do if my SmarTrack-protected vehicle is stolen? 

Report the theft to the police, obtain a crime reference or incident number and contact the Global Telemetrics dedicated theft line. The Secure Control Centre can then begin assisting with the recovery. 

Will SmarTrack contact the police? 

Following confirmation of a theft, Global Telemetrics can work with the relevant police authorities and provide information from the tracking system to assist with locating and recovering the vehicle. 

What is the Global Telemetrics Repatriations Team? 

The Repatriations Team consists of specialist Auto-Crime Investigation agents who can assist with stolen vehicle recoveries. Where appropriate, agents can attend a vehicle’s location and help safeguard it while working with the police. 

How does SmarTrack help recover a stolen vehicle? 

In the event of a confirmed theft, the Global Telemetrics Secure Control Centre can use information from the SmarTrack system to help locate the vehicle and work with the relevant police authorities to assist with its recovery. Where required, the Global Telemetrics Repatriations Team can also attend the vehicle’s location and help safeguard it until the police are able to attend. 

Can SmarTrack protect vehicles other than cars? 

Yes. SmarTrack offers tracking solutions suitable for cars, vans, motorhomes, caravans, motorcycles, HGVs, plant and agricultural machinery and other vehicles and assets. 

Protect Your Vehicle with SmarTrack 

From Thatcham S7 monitored tracking through to S5 systems with Driver Detection and immobilisation options, SmarTrack offers different levels of protection to suit different vehicles and requirements. 

Explore the SmarTrack range or speak to one of our approved installers to find the right tracking system for your vehicle.