On numerous occasions this summer, kayaks were being stolen from a local kayak rental company in Massachusetts. Despite getting creative and trying different ways to lock the kayaks up securely, they just kept disappearing.
After dozens of kayaks had been stolen, the owner became very frustrated. He decided to take control of the situation and purchased two inconspicuous GPS tracking systems. According to the Metro West Daily News, owner Michael Aghajanian said, “We tried locking things up tighter and what not but the person got into everything. I felt defeated. I’m pretty persistent so I brainstormed. I didn’t care if we lost more boats. My goal was to catch him.”
Aghajanian installed a GPS tracking system on two brand new kayaks and left them out as bait for the thief. After the GPS tracking systems were installed, the kayak thief struck again. Only this time, he ended up getting caught.
Aghajanian got an alert that one of the kayaks was on the move. He called the police, and met them at a local shopping plaza where they spotted a car with two kayaks on top. The kayak thief was arrested on the spot. Police say they found 15 more kayaks at the thief’s home. Neighbors even reported that they had seen the thief selling kayaks on numerous occasions in front of his home.
Aghajanian reported to the MetroWest Daily News that the stolen kayaks were worth over $20,000. He also said finding the robber and recovering the kayaks has him feeling victorious. “Thrilled, absolutely,” he said. “The only person who looks out for your business is yourself.”
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/highlight/x227167672/GPS-device-helps-locate-stolen-Hopkinton-State-Park-kayaks