Tracking devices linked to DV criminals, stalking

Domestic violence perpetrators are increasingly using tracking devices to harass and intimidate their victims.

A report by the New South Wales Crime Commission found there has been a “sharp increase” in the use of tracking devices in recent years, particularly among organized crime networks to “monitor, locate and ultimately attack their rivals”.

Of the more than 3,100 tracking device customers analyzed since 2023, one in four customers have experienced domestic violence in the past, and 126 were arrested on charges of violence when purchasing the products.

The commission, which investigates serious criminal activity and has the power to confiscate property, noted that many of these customers bought a GPS device days after the AVO was enforced.

“Perpetrators of domestic and family violence often use tracking devices and other monitoring tools to stalk, harass, intimidate and monitor victims, sometimes leading to violent outcomes,” the report released Tuesday said.

“One in four people known to have purchased tracking devices since the beginning of 2023 have experienced domestic violence.”

The report calls for tighter control of GPS tracking devices and recommends that their use be included in bail and acquittal conditions to better protect victims.

The commission found that some private detectives and specialist spy shops sold surveillance equipment to DV criminals, promoting the fact that their products could be used to monitor intimate partners.

It recommended that the government work with industry to introduce new security features in GPS devices, including anti-stalking measures.

The investigation revealed that 391 customers deemed to be “particularly high risk” were handed over to police and other authorities.

Murders, public shootings, kidnappings, drug thefts and human trafficking have been linked to the use of tracking devices by criminal networks.

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