MICHIGAN GPS VEHICLE TRACKING
If you need Michigan GPS vehicle tracking for an investigation or surveillance, don’t do it yourself! Not only do you risk detection, there are serious legal ramifications if you make a mistake or fail to follow the rules. We can help!
Call ASG and we can walk you though the process, cost and the expected results. As always, the call is strictly confidential. (586) 522-4600
Some of the top reasons people look to hire a private investigator are when they are looking for background information, surveillance, or Michigan GPS vehicle tracking. With vehicle tracking, most people have a general idea of how it works: a tracking device is placed on a vehicle and it transmits signals to a satellite every few seconds, which then can be monitored through various software. Depending on the battery life of the device, this monitoring can last for more than a few weeks.
It may seem as simple as that, but there are numerous laws set in place regarding GPS vehicle tracking, and there are a variety of uses for this service.
As licensed Michigan private investigators, we have the right equipment, experience installing and removing GPS trackers, we understand the law governing using GPS trackers and our results will stand up in court.
Legality of Michigan GPS Vehicle Tracking
Vehicle tracking is becoming more standardized in the eyes of the law, but there are many areas that do not have a set standard for how it is handled. The typical rule of thumb here is, if the owner of the vehicle does not consent to the tracking device being placed, then is a violation of privacy.
In the state of Michigan, there are fines to be paid if you violate that law. However, there are exceptions with police officers utilizing trackers to monitor fugitives or using a tracking device to monitor the mechanical or operational systems of a vehicle. (Michigan Penal Code – Act 328 of 1931, Section 750.539I ). South Carolina mirrors Michigan in their law with a few distinct changes of wording. For GPS vehicle tracking to be legal in South Carolina, the tracking device must be placed with the owner or authorized operator’s consent.
That distinction can make all the difference in an employer trying to track their employees in company vehicles. Talking through your predicament with a local professional investigator can give you an understanding what you can accomplish with vehicle tracking within the scope of the law within your area. There are no federal laws in regard to GPS vehicle tracking here in the United States, so the investigator should be knowledgeable about the state laws of the area and what is admissible should the vehicle cross state lines.
Please note trespassing onto private property to place a tracking device is not legal. For a professional investigator to place a Michigan GPS vehicle tracking device, it must be on public property. There should be discretion involved with the placement, as much as other investigations. A professional investigator will work with you to determine the best time and location to place a device on a vehicle(s). The same applies to the removal of the device. Discretion is one of an investigator’s top priorities with any case, so getting all of the details before taking action is necessary.
Practical Applications of Michigan GPS Vehicle Tracking
Professional investigators can utilize vehicle tracking devices in numerous situations, ranging from cases of cheating spouses to workplace misconduct investigations to non-compete agreement violations. Just to expand on this a bit further, there a multitude of uses for GPS vehicle tracking but remaining realistic about the results is a must.
Tracking an employee who frequently leaves town for business trips and utilizes different modes of transportation may not give a distinct example of what they are doing and where they are going. The same principle applies to an infidelity investigation, if the spouse is going at home with the flu, vehicle tracking will not give a great opportunity to show them with “the other person”. The highest chance for success with GPS vehicle tracking is a well-planned investigation.
In initiating an investigation into a spouse or significant other’s potential infidelity, there are red flags that raise concern initially. Are they aware from home at all hours of the day? Do they constantly avoid phone calls or any attempts at communication? Are they starting to miss appointments or family events? Michigan GPS vehicle tracking may be helpful in two of those scenarios.
Using a tracker can give you an idea of where they are throughout the day and night, and how long they were there, but it cannot give you an idea of who they may be with. Staying late at the office could just be working, or going out to the bar with co-workers, could be truly what they say it is. Surveillance can give you a better idea of what is going on there, but vehicle tracking can be a great tool to get a better idea of what is going on to begin with. Another opportunity to use GPS vehicle tracking in regard to a cheating spouse, would those questionable trips out of town. Nailing down those specific details can provide some peace of mind.
Another application of using Michigan GPS vehicle tracking would be for employee time theft or employee misconduct investigations. Using GPS trackers on company vehicles can show where employees are going during time when they should be conducting business.
If your delivery drivers are spending hours at home instead making visits to clients, this would be the ideal way to document those locations and duration of the stops. Think about this from a different perspective as well: what about employees running personal errands on company time? What about your CEO taking his company car on family vacations and trying to submit all of the gas receipts including those ones from the vacation? Maintenance on company vehicles can be costly, and all of these extra trips can be costing you your bottom line.
The same idea can be applied to a variety of situations ranging from school buses, garbage trucks, grounds-keeping equipment, and police squad cars. An efficient business should not be running the risk with employee time theft or misconduct.
The last idea, but not the only application of vehicle tracking would be with non-compete violations both within your business and with who your business interacts with. As a business leader, signing contracts with customers and clients can mean guaranteeing that you will not do business with their competition. The employees handling the day to day matters might not be complying with this.
To better explain it this way: if you sign a contract to exclusively deliver auto parts to Dealership A, but your employees also stop by Dealership B to try to sell them the auto parts. There could be legal ramifications ahead that you are not prepared for. Also, on the other hand, employees may be doing business on the side and using your vehicles could be a huge problem.
For example, if maintenance employees are taking your plow vehicles out on the road and running a side business, but targeting potential clients for their own work, it would harm the growth of your company. These are just a few scenarios on where GPS vehicle tracking would have an ideal chance of documenting the evidence to help get answers on where and when your company vehicles are.
As a professional investigation firm, we are glad to offer Michigan GPS vehicle tracking services and to assist clients through the investigation process from start to finish. Utilizing vehicle tracking in a variety of situations can help to bring bigger issues to light and adding another piece to the puzzle, whether it be in a corporate capacity or assisting private clients. We can discuss the problem you are having, and identify what may be the best solution within your budgetary constraints.
We proudly help clients from Birmingham to Grosse Pointe, Sterling Heights to Livonia, Novi to Detroit, Troy to Grand Rapids and every where in between. Let the Michigan GPS Tracker Experts get you the information you’re looking for. Call today to discuss your GPS investigations options today.
Common Questions
Does a vehicle GPS tracker work on my vehicle?
Is it always legal to use a GPS tracker on a car?
Can a GPS tracker be found?
How long will a GPS vehicle tracker work for?
How will I be updated about where the GPS tracker finds the car?
In Michigan can I put Vehicle GPS tracker on the car myself?
How would a Michigan private investigator use a vehicle GPS tracker?
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