Tracking a Mobile Phone
Mobile phone tracking is a system that tracks the position of a mobile phone - whether it be stationary or even on the move. By establishing the location of a mobile phone, the co-ordinates can be used in a variety of ways:
- Plotting onto a map to provide a visual reference to the phones whereabouts, origin, destination, direction, and speed of movement.
- GPS co-ordinates to allow freight and shipping companies to co-ordinate their drivers, pickups and deliveries.
- Making sure children and other vulnerable adults are safe when they are alone in unfamiliar territory.
- Private investigation practices, although there are laws governing covert mobile phone tracking that it is important people are made aware of.
- Police operations involving kidnapping, organised criminal gangs and any other illegal activities that use mobile technology.
- Sea and mountain rescue when other emergency communication fails.
There’s a misconception that civilian use of mobile phone tracking involves jealous partners spying on their lovers’ whereabouts, and whilst this is certainly possible, the technology has been used to save many lives, and bring many criminals to justice.
Here’s just some of the stories:
Sea Rescue thanks to mobile phone tracking
Thanks to the quick thinking of the Brixham Coastguard, a missing yachtsman was found safe and well after he floated way 5 miles off course when sailing to the Channel Islands.
His wife, after not hearing from him since that morning, decided to alert the coastguards. The UK, French and Channel Island coastguard teams searched the coastal waters but found nothing, and it wasn’t until they requested a bearings signal from his mobile phone that his was finally located.
There’s a lesson here however - make sure you file a course plan, and give loved ones a simple call rather than leaving your poor partner to fret and worry. Not to mention the expense and manpower diverted from the coastguard agencies.
Murderer’s conviction was sealed on mobile phone tracking
This is quite a sad story, and one that almost everyone in Britain followed in the media with a feeling of sinking sadness. Ian Huntley, who was convicted for killing two young girls, was caught out with evidence regarding the whereabouts of the girls’ mobile phone signals at key moments on the night in question.
Although being meticulous in making sure he left no forensic evidence such as fibres, he was less aware of mobile phone triangulation technology. The jury was told that the phone had been switched off for the last time very close to Huntley’s house. Further tracking evidence also lead to Huntley admitting he changed his tyres a few days later, at a location that was disclosed through the same technology.