More Proof Home should not be home

I would assume everyone knows where they live at. Why would you have to put it on your GPS?

I think putting the local police department as "HOME" would do the trick and surprise a thief if they tried to track it "Home".

I see it as yet another reason to LOCK YOUR GPS with a PIN code. There is no reason to not utilize this function. As far as having your home address in the GPS, I see nothing wrong with that since it is probably the most used destination and I like having to one click it. If you are afraid of thieves getting your home address, you'd better take all your mail, car registration, insurance etc out of your car everytime you leave it also. Most states require you have that information in the car if you are pulled over.

I placed my "home" several hundred feet down the road. I feel this is good alternative.

I agree using the PIN Code is the best option, at least they will not get free directions to you house without the pin code after they pull out you auto registration information.

I have started using the PIN code and reset my home to an intersection that is in common with my most-often used routes home. I have also set the PIN unlock location some place other than work or home.

1. They've already stolen GPS enabled phone from someone,
2. Captured your keyless entry code for opening your car,
3. Already found registration, insurance, etc with home address and
4. Garage opener hanging by the visor!!!

Jackpot for Mr. Thief!!!!!

My suggestion, WALK!!!!

There are many other ways to find my house (like the registrations or any other paper with my name on it, I'm in the phonebook). I'm more worried about the garage door opener in the car.

I don't park in the garage every night because it's a tight fit in there and the garage is used a lot as a storage room. So I never left the remote in the car because leaving it in the car right outside felt really like asking for it...

Simon

Just get yourselves detatched garages! That or multi dead bolt the door into the house.

I just use the intersection at the entrance to our subdivision for the Home location and my garage door opener is built into the sunvisor so cannot be taken.

I think I will be resetting my HOME location or start using the PIN very shortly. My luck, I'd forget my own PIN. I hadn't really given much thought on the matter of having the GPS stolen and what consequences may ensue.

Nice heads up info!

Edit: Almost forgot, this IS very appropriate as we just sold our old Garmin to someone that had theirs stolen form their car just recently. Makes you think twice on what info you keep where and how secure it is. And I guess how paranoid you might be also, grin.

Good Point, I also like the comment about putting the local police as home!

After I locked myself out of our house a few years ago with our 6 week old baby inside we installed a keyless entry deadbolt like this: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=20134&source=googlep...

It works really well and is the first thing to be installed in the new house when we move.

I had to break a window in my garage to get back into my house. I had just gone out onto the porch to get a package and the door shut behind me.

It is nice that I don't have to scramble to house keys when I get home, I just have to enter a code.

Miss POI

Or, you could just take the GPS with you, like I do. It is stupid to worry about the GPS betraying your address if you have anything else with your address in the car, like a registration card, an insurance card, or even a piece of mail with your address on it. But it makes plenty of sense to always take the GPS with you, that way you don't get it stolen in the first place, don't get your windows broken in the process (often more expensive than the GPS itself), and don't have to fool with a PIN code to unlock it every time that you want to use it. Or just leave it in the car and keep posting stories about what can go wrong when you do that.

You can set your home any where you want, but the "breadcrumbs" still lead the track to your house... Think about it.

I'm not trying to make anyone paranoid, but realize a lot of thieves aren't stupid.

Theives will always find a way....
David

I've been using a PIN from the very beginning with my home address programmed in. So I don't worry...

I should start using that again. Just a pain to type it in each time.

The pin code only takes a couple of seconds. I'll continue to use it.

... is a common intersection I have to use when returning to the bus terminal. My house is in there but not labeled as such.

Read so many ways to "defer" (not stop) thieves to break in your house. Why give a reason for them to break your vehicle window for that inexpensive electronic equipment?

Hide it or bring it with you is best I can think of. At least they will look for other unfortunate vehicles.

I like using the "Home" feature when I am in an area I am not familiar with. It saves me from having to type my address in to get back home. Of course I put myself at risk doing this. I jsut hope no one breaks into the car.

Good suggestion....I will have to do that.

luckily for me i live in a building ,but after reading what everybody sed ill drt the local precint which is only 2 blocks away from my house as home . thanks for the eye opener

My garage door opener is built into the overhead consul in my car so they would need to take my car to my house to open the garage except there is a deadbolt lock on the entry to the house. Hopefully they think its to much trouble.

I have a a neighbor two houses away which is a county sheriff. His driveway is where my home is set to.

My wife and I use the address of our church for the Home location. We already know how to get between the church and home, and if someone finds it, see's a home address of a church, maybe they would turn it in? One can hope, right?

If you use a PIN, you might feel safe that someone can't unlock your GPSr or sell it. However, if they know your address (hint, car registration, etc) and then drive by your location, the unit will unlock and they can remove the PIN.
Just a heads up. I have my unlock position set a good distance from my home, and not on an expected route.

well done. I would make sure it is far enough so that your garage door opener won't trigger your garage door from there.

What would it happen if you set the garage door opener code to same as the county sheriff uses?

If I were a thief, I would go to a nice neighborhood and case the joint.
My home is home, but I always take my GPS so the device doesn't freeze or overheat in the car. Also, my garmin thinks my address is the next house about a quarter mile down the road. I thought that was annoying but now see it's an advantage.

Why not just set the HOME location to the nearest
intersection and drive from there?... even if they track it back the garage door still wont open! I use this method and the PIN CODE.

COMMON SENSE is better than book sense any day...

The alarm should scare off petty crooks .. however the more determined thieves will try to silence the alarm if they can find the alarm speaker. Monitoring should help too, since the alarm company is going to dispatch cops.

I too concur that using the Garmin security lock feature on the GPS is the best way to thwart thieves from reselling your unit or finding any of your Favorites.

I live in the country and each of us have approximately 3 acres and my driveway it about 250ft from the road. My garage door opener won't work that far away, but it would be interesting if my garage door opener was set to his code. You see he is a K-9 county sheriff.

I don't think it matters what you have HOME as. All the thieve has to do is find your registration or insurance card, voila your home address. It only takes them a couple of extra seconds to open the glove compartment to get that information.

I use an intersection near my home. My house is visible from the home location, but one would need to guess as to which of the 14 houses visible is the actual home.

I do like having that intersection as my home location, as using that as a home location lets me use the gps to plan my way home, rather than to a nearby police station or supermarket. Once I get to the "home intersection," my my gps says "arriving at home" and I can tell which driveway to pull into!

to hide/remove the mounting bracket AND clean the suction cup marks from your windshield!!

Many thieves are pretty smart--they know that suction cup marks on the windshield usually mean some kind of "electronic goody", and, that most people hide said "goodies" in the glove box or under the seat.......well worth the cost of a spring-loaded center punch and 2 mins to silently break your window and find out for themselves!

NP

Rocks need to run next door, no looking for keys. In the backyard front door locked, walk around to front yard for whatever reason need to go inside but the door is locked, no problem keyless entry.

Give neighbor key neighbor and you stop getting along, damn they still have a key, not with keyless just delete their code.

For the past two years the method that works best for me is to I reiterate use the PIN code just in case of theft and I make it seem like there is no GPS to steal by using a beanbag to place the GPS on the dash when driving and removing it from the dash when I am a few blocks from my final destination, and hide it.

The PIN code is set at a Sheriff's station. In the event I forget my PIN, I can just go there to reset it.

I understand the argument to bring the GPS along with you but that wouldn't work for me. I would probably forget it some place and run a higher risk of losing it that way rather than from theft in my car. I already carry around my cell phone and don't need another device to tote. I don't want to have a bag/purse just to tote electronics.

This never really occurred to me! Great thread. Home for me is an apartment, so I'm not too worried about someone finding out where I live, since it's posted everywhere and in all my insurance paperwork. I hide my GPS when leaving the vehicle. I have no garage to worry about (though I wish I did). This thread is very interesting though. I think it speaks to the comfort levels we attain by trusting technology without thinking of the evils possible when left in the wrong hands. Thanks for the wake-up call!

Good point. I didn't think of that one... now I worry.

I bought the small garage door remotes that fit on the keychain. And I bought one for each set of keys we use. So I take the keys out of the car and take the garage door remote without having to worry about it.

It's not how to arrive at my house, since I know where I live.

But I found it useful to get out of an unfamiliar neighborhood to head home.

If the unit is unlocked by going to the "location", it will still request the current PIN code if you attempt to remove or change it. At least that's what my 770 does.

Well yea, you know where your home is. But I have to assume that the people who are concerned about this and still leave the GPS in the car may not all be that smart. Plus, even if you choose to not display it, the nuiv will keep a track log of everywhere it goes while the GPS is on, so even setting the "home" location to an alternate address isn't much of a way to defeat someone who steals the GPS out of the car. They can easily see where the blue lnes all meet and where they wander around as the nuvi first gets a lock, which will flag commonly visited locations like home, office, and even close friends (who you may end up sending the theives to also if you leave the GPS in the car). The best solution still seems to be to take the GPS with you and not get it stolen in the first place.

A PIN for your GPS device is the same as a password for your home desktop computer or laptop. Let's face it. Some people in this world are not nice.

A few extra seconds each time I turn on my GPS is enough for some peace of mind in my life.

If they want to know your home address, they can take your vehicle registration along with your gps and garage door opener. It won't really make much difference whether or not that information is stored in the gps. Although, it may make getting there by the fastest route easier. LOL

Just set the home to a intersection on the nearest main road.

Everything discussed can be circumvented one way or the other. The trick really is not to make yourself a victim. And, if on the chance you are hit, do the things that make it hard for the bad guy to take advantage of you. More important, make him want to pass up your vehicle for something "more promising".

The best thing you can do is take the GPS with you. If that's not practical, then make sure to take it off the window or dash, and wipe that telltale circle off BEFORE you reach your destination. Lots of electronics get stolen because the owner was seen stowing it away when reaching their destination. I know a guy who thought he was being clever by putting his laptop in his truck. It was stolen because someone saw him putting it in there.
Once the GPS is off the window or dash, you can discreetly hide it when you are parked.

Yes, set that pin number. But I would reconsider using a nearby intersection as "home". Pick something a little farther away. If the thief is smart enough to find "home", then he's looking to rob your house to begin with, and he may be smart enough to have taken note of you plate #. It's not a stretch to drive around a neighborhood looking for your car.

Never, ever, leave anything visible. Not a cord, nor a paper bag, nothing. You don't want to give even a hint that there might be anything remotely valuable. I've seen people's windows get broken for a 6 pack of soda on the back seat.

Do you really need to carry your registration? I know some states require it. I'm glad I live in a state that doesn't. If you are leaving mail and other things in your car with identifiable information then you need to reconsider your daily routine.

That a valid point.. now I need to remove my home from the gps.

Thank you...

Can the pin on a Nuvi 660 be deactivated after you enable it? I would like to try it out, but if I get sick of it... I would like the option to turn it back off.

Is there a LowJack system for these GPS systems? This thing is the next best thing since sliced bread but why isn't there a homing beacon built in these units that could be turned on when it's stolen?