A HAVEN for retiring Brits, for those wanting a second home in a sunny climate, and of course for some motoring holidaymakers, Spain makes for an ideal destination. Sadly, Spain's proximity to the UK also makes it a potential hiding place or "black market" for stolen vehicles. But not any more because TRACKER, the UK's leading stolen vehicle recovery system is now operational in Spain through its "sister" company Detector. This now means extended coverage into Europe, with any Tracker fitted stolen vehicle capable of being located and retrieved in Spain as well as in the UK and France.

As soon as the Tracker system is activated in a stolen car, the signal can be picked up by the police and, in the unlikely event a Tracker-fitted system makes it to Spain, then it will be the Spanish police, the Guardia Civil and the Policia Local, who will utilise their police tracking computers to locate the stolen vehicle in co-operation with Detector. Communications are then made with Tracker HQ based in Uxbridge, to ensure the vehicle is returned to its rightful owner, whether in Spain, or in the UK.

A spokesperson at the Kent Police Ports Autocrime Unit, commented: "Vehicle thieves believe that once they get out of the UK with a stolen vehicle, then they are safe. With the assistance of tracking devices such as Tracker now detectable in Spain, this will hopefully assist the Autocrime Unit in our operations to crack professional theft gangs running right now between the UK and Spain."