Tracking Data Used to Convict Burglar

[KAS-118]

Part of me thinks this is good; the other part has slight concerns about 'Big Brother'.

I guess the answer is 'Don't Do Crime' !!!!

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-wells/news/prolific-and-brazen-offender-jailed-221898/

[C8RKH]

Have you ever had a look at your google (or apple) location history from your phone? The amount of detail and accuracy re your devices physical whereabouts is really, really scary.

On the plus side my wife was being harassed by a private parking company for a parking charge that was not hers (the ANPR type). We provided a copy of her android/google location history for the day in question which proved she was 130 miles away from that car park for the whole day so they had to drop the harassment and the charges.  

I guess as you say, don't do crime but remember it could be used to protect you.

[910Esprit]

2 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

The amount of detail and accuracy re your devices physical whereabouts is really, really scary.

And that's the tip of the iceberg.  They harvest an unfeasible amount of data  (you can get Google to send everything they know about you).    Pretty much all your usage and what you were doing, on any google app, is retained by them.  That's despite the fact I'm resonably tech savvy and selectively use a VPN, switch off location when not in use, block many tracking cookies and decline all marketing preferences etc!   Big Brother has been here sometime!

[C8RKH]

Yup @910Esprit. Apple just the same.

 

I do believe that after fatal crashes the Police have accessed the ECU to get driving information as many ECUs these days store that info and much more.

[jep]

The Pioneer head unit in my Evora records every trips data including top speed. I need to read the manual to see if that can be switched off. 

Justin 

[Bibs]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

Have you ever had a look at your google (or apple) location history from your phone?

What's the legal position in the UK, can the Police make you unlock your phone for them? I'm sure you don't have to in the States, where they've had apple try to unlock phones of mass shooters etc.

(err, asking for a friend )

[KAS-118]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

I guess as you say, don't do crime but remember it could be used to protect you.

I agree. Whilst there are of course civil liberty concerns - things like CCTV, location tracking etc can be beneficial.

In this case it helped convict an burglar - in other cases phone location tracking has helped locate people being at a scene of murders or serious assaults. 

I guess its a fine balancing act - I would probably be 'slightly miffed' if somehow may phone was used to identify me doing 35mph in a 30 mph area - but likewise, if someone had killed an old lady pedestrian on a crossing by doing 70 mph in a 20 mph zone - then I'd think it was technology well used. 

Edited February 12, 2020 by KAS-118

[C8RKH]

No idea @Bibs but sure some armchair warrior will provide links on t'web for it.

They can get your phone records from your mobile operator though. 

I guess the price of an always connected world is the loss of privacy.

[Bibs]

Just now, C8RKH said:

They can get your phone records from your mobile operator though. 

I'm guessing that would be calls, cell tower location, internet history as they're the ISP. To be fair, by the sounds of it that's enough to provide a decent amount of evidence. I recall the security services were miffed with Whatsapp being encrypted though as it's used by terrorists to plan attacks and the like.

[C8RKH]

1 minute ago, KAS-118 said:

guess its a fine balancing act - I would probably be 'slightly miffed' if somehow may phone was used to identify me doing 35mph in a 30 mph area

You need to get miffed then as this is exactly what the EU are bringing in regulation for. Of course, it's for something else....

[KAS-118]

12 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

No idea @Bibs but sure some armchair warrior will provide links on t'web for it.

Of course, it's always better to speak with knowledge, rather than in ignorance

@Bibs - oh, here's a link that may assist https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/jailed-after-refusing-give-police-830511

Edited February 12, 2020 by KAS-118

[Bibs]

I'd guess that the 5 months extra he got for that would have been a better option than what would have happened had they unlocked his phone! 

[KAS-118]

3 minutes ago, Bibs said:

I'd guess that the 5 months extra he got for that would have been a better option than what would have happened had they unlocked his phone! 

LOL - yeah, indeed