The technology is similar to the premise behind the action thriller Enemy of State. Adam Hickman The character played by actor Will Smith is tracked all over the map after inadvertently picking up a high-tech homing device. But while this flick shows what can go wrong when such high-tech gadgets end up in the wrong hands, the engineers at Boomerang are putting the technology to practical use - launching similar tracking techniques in Canada that will help construction companies combat vehicle and equipment theft. Mass Electronics Ltd., is the company behind the Boomerang system, which they’ve offered to their Quebec market since 1994. Last month, company officals held an open house in Markham to demonstrate to insurance companies how the product works. Shawn McDonald, construction sales agent, describes Boomerang as a high tech tracking system which uses existing cellular networks to protect vehicles from theft. Within minutes after a vehicle is reported stolen to the central monitoring station, the Boomerang system can locate the general position. At this point the dispatcher sends as tracking team to this area to pinpoint the exact location of the vehicle. This is possible because an electronic identity is installed in the truck-compressor, bulldozer or whatever other type of vehicle being protected. The vehicle’s Boomerang hardware sends a signal to local cellular towers. With triangulation technology, the monitoring station can locate the stolen vehicle’s location and send their tracking team. Ken Helferty, vice president in charge of sales and marketing, says Boomerang boasts a success ratio of 100 per cent. “Once we get into the vicinity, we are able to track to within a few feet,” says Helferty. “Wherever the vehicle is; we are able to locate it quite quickly.” The Boomerang system claims an average recovery time of 45 minutes. McDonald says this time is probably a lot shorter for construction equipment once the owner notices somethin is missing. “It’s actually probably easier. Construction equipment can stand out. They’re a lot harder to move quickly. So construction equipment is probably the best thing to track.” McDonald says the best types of equipment for Boomerang are compressors, generators, mobile trailers, Kubotas, back-hoes, Bobcats, steam-rollers and other small-sized excavators. They are generally installing Boomerang’s in anything the size of a swizel loader and smaller. The larger items tend to require disassembly and aren’t as pratical for the Boomerang system. But he says they offer immobilizers to protect these types of equipment. “Some companies are still cautious about how they spend and are holding on to their money,” he says. “But they don’t realize that in six months when two more things get ripped off, nobody will want to insure them and their deductible rises to $30,000.” He says this can amount to a few months worth of work for small or medium sized companies. McDonald says now is the best time to get on board. The company is just starting into Ontario and is looking to widely market its product at an affordable price which is advantageous to small and large companies. “You can outfit a fleet of 100 vehicles for less than $40,000.” McDonald says the Sewer and Water Main Association is a major supporter of Boomerang and are offering $100 membership rebates to any of its members that purchase the Boomerang system. “The association makes no money off us wants to encourage it that much. That’s how much they believe in us.” Helferty says Boomerang differs from GPS-based tracking systems, which have distance limitations. The Boomerang system can track vehicles into metal storage containers or parking garages. Helferty affirms that the can track a vehicle anywhere in any of 900 North American cities where cellular networks exist. “Bell Mobility is very stringent in who they accept for such ventures,” he says. “So, we’re very fortunate to have this partnership.” Helferty says Boomerang is unique because 80 per cent of recovered vehicles used other security systems for proctection. They say the most impressive part of the system is successful they have been at succeeding where others have failed.
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