Insurers could save 'millions'

Insurers could save millions of pounds through a police operation to track stolen cars.

Operation Semita is a partnership between Tracker, a technology firm, and the Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS), part of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

The police use their technology to detect stolen vehicles that have been fitted with a Tracker system.

Once detected, teams from Tracker are brought in to complete the final recovery of the vehicle.

Proceeds from the recovery of the stolen vehicles are split between Tracker and the insurer.

Acting detective chief inspector Mark Hooper, the head of the AVCIS operation, said: “Semita has helped insurers to recover losses … not only of stolen vehicles fitted with tracking devices but also associated vehicles discovered at the time or as a result of subsequent inquiries.”

About one million cars have been fitted with a Tracker system, although many owners do not realise they have the system. It is these vehicles which will be targeted.

Bill Raynal, managing director of Tracker, said the technology would save insurers millons of pounds.

“Feedback from the UK insurance industry has been extremely positive and we hope this project will prove to be a success,” he said.

However, some insurers have refused to take part in the scheme, believing they should receive all the money from recovered vehicles.