Can Thieves Jam a GPS Tracker? What Insurance Approved Tracking Does About It

Can Thieves Jam a GPS Tracker? What Insurance Approved Tracking Does About It

Key Takeaways

• Yes, thieves can use cheap jamming devices to block GPS and GSM signals, and it is one of the most common techniques used by organised vehicle theft gangs.
• Jamming does not make a quality tracker useless. Thatcham Approved Trackers are designed to detect interference, alert a monitoring centre and record the vehicle’s last known position.
• Using a jammer is illegal in the UK under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, but criminals use them regardless.
• Thatcham S5 and S7 trackers are monitored 24/7 by a Secure Operating Centre, which can work with the police even when a signal is being blocked.
• Insurers often require or reward Thatcham approved tracking on high value and high risk vehicles.

Yes, thieves can jam a GPS tracker. A jammer floods the GPS and mobile network frequencies with noise, stopping the tracker from receiving its location or sending updates. However, jamming is not the end of the story. Professionally fitted Thatcham Approved Trackers can recognise when they are being jammed, raise an immediate alert with a 24/7 monitoring centre and hold the last confirmed location, giving police a clear starting point for recovery. This is exactly why insurers place so much value on insurance approved tracking rather than basic, self-fitted devices.

How Does GPS Jamming Work?

A GPS tracker relies on two signals. It receives satellite signals to calculate its position, then uses the mobile (GSM) network to send that position to a server or monitoring centre. A jammer is a small transmitter, often no bigger than a phone charger, that broadcasts interference on those same frequencies. When it is switched on near a vehicle, the tracker struggles to find satellites, reach the network, or both.

Jammers are widely available online and cost very little, which is why they have become a standard tool for professional car thieves, alongside relay attack kits and key programmers.

Is It Illegal to Use a GPS Jammer in the UK?

Yes. Using a jammer is a criminal offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, and Ofcom actively enforces against their use. Jammers also disrupt legitimate signals around them, including emergency services communications and other drivers’ sat navs. Of course, someone already stealing a car is unlikely to be deterred by this, which is why your tracker needs to be built with jamming in mind.

Can a Jammer Defeat Every Tracker?

Not in the way thieves hope. The difference comes down to the type of tracker fitted.

Basic plug-in or self-fit trackers are often easy to find, unplug or jam. Many have no way of telling you they have been interfered with. The location simply stops updating, and you may not realise until the vehicle has gone.

Thatcham approved trackers are tested against strict industry standards and fitted by approved installers. Key protections typically include:

• Jamming detection: many approved units can identify when GPS or GSM signals are being blocked and treat that interference as an alert in itself.
• 24/7 Secure Operating Centre monitoring: S5 and S7 systems are monitored around the clock, so an alert is acted on immediately rather than sitting unread in an app.
• Last known position: the system records where the vehicle was before the signal was lost, narrowing the search area for police.
• Backup battery: if the vehicle battery is disconnected, the tracker keeps working and reports the tamper.
• Covert professional installation: hidden fitting means thieves cannot quickly locate and remove the unit before the jammer is even needed.
• Driver recognition (S5): Thatcham S5 trackers use driver ID tags, so the system knows if the vehicle is being moved without an authorised driver present.

If you want protection that is designed to keep working when criminals try to block it, browse our range of Thatcham approved insurance trackers to compare S5 and S7 options.

Why Jamming Often Works Against the Thief

Jammers have a limited range and must stay close to the vehicle to keep it hidden. The moment the thief drives away from the jammer, or switches it off to use their own phone or sat nav, the tracker can reconnect and report its position. Thieves often stash stolen cars in a “cooling off” location to see whether they are being tracked, and a monitored tracker that has already flagged jamming means the police can be alerted well before the vehicle is moved on, broken for parts or shipped abroad.

Thatcham S5 vs S7: Which Is Better Against Jamming?

Both categories are insurance approved and monitored 24/7. The main difference is how theft is detected:

• Thatcham S7 tracks the vehicle and supports recovery once you or the monitoring centre identify it has been stolen.
• Thatcham S5 adds driver recognition, automatically alerting the Secure Operating Centre if the vehicle moves without the driver tag present. This proactive alerting is particularly valuable against keyless theft and jamming, as the theft is flagged from the first movement.

For high value, high risk or prestige vehicles, many insurers specify an S5 system.

How to Make Your Vehicle Harder to Steal

A tracker is your recovery layer, so it works best combined with other measures:

1. Fit a Thatcham approved S5 or S7 tracker with professional installation.
2. Add an immobiliser such as the Autowatch Ghost II to stop the vehicle being driven away.
3. Store keyless fobs in a signal blocking pouch to prevent relay attacks.
4. Use a visible deterrent such as a steering wheel lock.
5. Park in a well lit area or a locked garage where possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a thief find and remove a GPS tracker?
Self-fitted trackers are often easy to find. Thatcham approved trackers are covertly installed by professionals, making them far harder to locate quickly.

Will my insurer require a Thatcham tracker?
Many insurers require Thatcham S5 or S7 tracking on high value vehicles or in high risk postcodes, and some offer reduced premiums when one is fitted.

Does jamming stop the monitoring centre knowing the car is stolen?
Not with a quality system. Jamming detection, tamper alerts and last known position reporting mean the Secure Operating Centre can still act on the theft.

Do I need a subscription for a Thatcham tracker?
Yes. Insurance approved trackers require an ongoing subscription to cover 24/7 monitoring and police liaison.

Protect Your Vehicle with Insurance Approved Tracking

Thieves can jam a GPS tracker, but they cannot easily beat one that is built to detect interference, monitored around the clock and professionally hidden. If you want peace of mind and a tracker your insurer will recognise, explore our full range of Thatcham Approved Trackers and find the right S5 or S7 system for your vehicle today.