1.What happens if my car is stolen and taken to a foreign country?
This is a common question among Viasat customers when their car or motorbike is stolen. In this article, we explain, with a real example, how Viasat coordinates its international car or motorbike recoveries.
On 10 May 2021, a Viasat Telematics’s customer had his car stolen in Berlin, Germany. The car was recovered hours later in Poland thanks to the action of Viasat Monitoring, a group company present in Poland.
When a car is stolen, there are several options. The thieves may try to get the car out of the country quickly. Another option is that the car is used to commit other crimes, such as transporting drugs or breaking and entering. It is also common for the car or motorbike to be dismantled to sell the parts separately.
If the thieves take the car out of the country, recovery can be complicated and it is necessary to activate an international vehicle recovery protocol. Coordination and communication between the countries involved are essential.
Another vital factor in recovering stolen cars is to know the location of the vehicle, to have real-time information on the vehicle’s status and performance. The most important thing in the event of any theft is to act quickly and have professionals dedicated to tracking, locating and recovering your vehicle wherever it is.
2.How does Viasat recover a car stolen in a foreign country?
Viasat Group offers vehicle protection and recovery systems, which provide real-time vehicle information, allowing the vehicle to be monitored and recovered in the event of theft. Moreover, Viasat is present in a large part of Europe, which makes international recovery possible.
Step-by-step vehicle recovery
On 10 May 2021, the car of a Viasat Telematics customer from Spain was stolen in Berlin, Germany.
17:33 hours: The Viasat customer informs the 24/7 alarm centre that his Mitsubishi has been stolen in Berlin.
Viasat Telematics tells the customer what to do next. First of all, the customer must go to the nearest police station to report the theft of the car.
17:55 hours: The recovery protocol is activated and the Viasat team in Spain starts tracking the stolen vehicle to see where it is.
The car had started its journey at 12:22 that day. At that time, it was driving on the road between Berlin and Warsaw, had already crossed the German border and was close to Poznan.
18:00 hours: Viasat Telematics, Spain, informs Viasat Monitoring, Poland, of the theft alert. From this moment on, the Polish team is in charge of tracking and communicating with the Polish police force.
20:19 hours: The car has stopped on the outskirts of the city of Warsaw. Viasat Monitoring provides the police with the exact location of the stolen car so that they can recover it.
22:10 hours: Viasat Monitoring informs Viasat Telematics that the vehicle has been recovered, is in perfect condition and has been taken by the police for inspection.
On 11 May 2021, Viasat Telematics informs its customer that the vehicle has been recovered and taken over by the Polish Police.
On 12 May 2021, the customer can pick up his vehicle, Viasat provides the contact details of the local police and offers language assistance if needed.
3.International recovery
The recovery of a stolen vehicle in a foreign country is a complex process. To get the vehicle back to its owner in the shortest possible time, it is essential to have an international team operating in a coordinated manner and the information provided by Viasat technology.
