Write down your serial number and contact Garmin if GPS is stolen

Which is the primary reason for registering the unit with Garmin. The serial number is always available from the registration info in Express.

Thanks for the info. The text file idea is simple and easy but I doubt it would work with anyone other than a pawn shop. If the bad guy sells to an individual (who is just as bad, in my opinion), that buyer is unlikely to give a damn. Still wouldn't hurt to put the file there.

A stolen GPS receiver is also why you should never use your exact home address when setting up "home" location. I use a nearby fire house.

the police station

Please explain how a stolen GPS with your real home address puts you at more risk, especially if you keep your vehicle registration in the vehicle which also lists your address.

Much more of a risk is keeping the registration papers and a garage door opener in the car giving a thief easy access into may folks' homes. But doesn't everyone do this?

Please Note that Garmin Express stores its backup of Favorites/Saved Places in a folder whose name contains the serial number of that device.

When you ask GE to Backup the device, it will then ask you for a folder name. I gave it C:\Backup. GE then created a folder under C:\Backup named Garmin. Then within the Garmin folder it creates a separate folder named "Backups" and within that folder it will create a folder for each device you backup - giving that folder a name that is the "serial number" of that specific device.

Inside that folder, GE creates a folder whose name follows the pattern "yyyy-mm-dd (hh.mm.ss) in order to keep multiple backups and then be able to let you choose from multiple backups by showing them to you with names of the form "mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm" whenever you ask GE to do a Restore.

Also note that if you let GE remain in "startup", then it may periodically do backups on its own whenever you attach the device.

NOTE THAT GE DOES NOT DO COMPLETE BACKUPS. That is up to the user.

I've always wondered the same thing.

Thanks to all for the comments on this thread. This is the sort of info that this site is good for educating me.

This is not speculation. There was a criminal enterprise targeting cars parked at highway rest stops. They stole GPS units, checked them for home address, and telephoned compatriots to break in and burglarize the home, with good intel that the occupant was on a road trip.

The same could apply to parking lots/garages at airports, train stations, hotels, tourist attractions, malls, etc.

On the other hand, most opportunistic thieves who smash and grab for a GPS (or get it via an unlocked car door, or window not completely closed) aren't interested in looking for insurance and registration cards. They are looking for an easy item to fence or keep. So why give them a bonus by telling them your exact address, especially if your car isn't at your home address?

You are correct about garage door openers. They should be hidden or taken with. For HomeLink (built-in garage door buttons in cars), and all other wireless garage door openers, it is a good idea to nightly use the lock-out button in the garage if so equipped. It prevents the receiver from being activated until un-locked from inside the garage.

If not so equipped, not a bad idea to get so equipped, or unplug the garage door opener, or turn off its circuit breaker, or install an easy access cutoff switch in the garage.

Lastly, if the GPS is so equipped, enable the passcode feature.

This sounds awfully urban legend-ish. Can you cite a source for this? How many years ago did this occur? Was this a widespread crime type? This would have to be a very large enterprise to have associates in locations hundreds of miles from the vehicle in a distant rest area or parking lot. Lastly, the loss of a GPS would be instantly noticed by the owner while the theft of a vehicle registration may not be missed for months—if a sophisticated theft ring, wouldn't they go for the theft of address that's less likely to be missed? Wouldn't it be easier to locally watch newspapers for funerals and burgle the homes of relatives during the service and burial?

I will agree that in some cases it's possible that your scenario could slightly increase risk. However, I've always used my home address as my GPS Home and will likely continue to do so.

I keep nothing of interest in my car - open the glove box or console - empty. I keep everything in a small backpack, which I either remove from the car, or place in the trunk. To open the trunk requires a key - no button or other form of trunk release. Therefore, no car registration, garage door opener, sunglasses are in the car. I don't lock my car anymore either.

I had Garmin disable updates to my stolen Nuvi last year. Still waiting for it to be recovered.

I have a problem with this part of the post: This is not speculation. There was a criminal enterprise targeting cars parked at highway rest stops. They stole GPS units, checked them for home address, and telephoned compatriots to break in and burglarize the home, with good intel that the occupant was on a road trip.

Tell me just how in the heck a gang could have members in all 50 states and all the cities in that state to break into the random GPS units that one may find in cars in a Rest Stop? They would have to have several million accomplices.

We have posted this link for a couple of similar threads, but in case you missed it, here is the link:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/intent/gps.asp

Yup, a pretty good summary, especially if you read the all article and not stop at the initial conclusion.

It may be safe to say that setting Home to 'near home' has a theoretical or potential benefit to some (quite small, in my opinion) degree and causes no increased risk to the owner other than needing to remember to to ignore the final few turns in a route taking you home.

It doesn't have to be a firehouse, but you are right not to use your actual address. Keep in mind, if you leave your insurance or registration in the car, they get your actual address anyway. N

Getting stuff stolen is pretty lousy. I guess having to much information is better than not enough. Most on here I would venture to guess have their nuvi registered with Garmin. They have your SN and can tag it as stolen for you. Security is another matter.

The State of Ohio is now providing registrations without the owner's address listed. I suppose this is an attempt to cut down on people stealing vehicles with the registration in the glove-box and going to the owner's residence and breaking in.

I never leave my GPS in the vehicle unattended.

Theft and battery degradation due to "Heat" are the reasons.

One woulda thought the days of stealing radar detectors, gps, etc., would be long gone, given how inexpensive they are. For example, a digitizer for our 2350LMT is $24 shipped.

But I suppose there is no low bar beneath which a thieve would not stoop.

Whenever we park, I do the, "What would be difficult or impossible to replace," and take those items. Like the gps only without adapter, keys, laptops (haha who has a laptop nowadays? I do)

Thanks, I looked on Garmin Express and there was all my information about my Nuvi 2460. I made a jpg of it and saved it to my laptop.

Now I need to make a full backup as it has been a long time since I did one....
Thanks

I just backed up my Nuvi 2450 and my SD card. After reading this thread I did some catch up work.

I think it has been two or three years since I backed up.
(Don't tell jgermann)

What are we going to do with you!!!!!

John

You would think I would learn by now....

John, forgive me but I went up and down this thread and I'm not sure where the golden backup procedure is.

The procedure is here http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30394
& let us know if you have questions or encounter problems.