Trackers work. That's exactly the problem.

What happened

Henry Panero, a Florida pilot visiting family in Washington, D.C., had his Dodge Ram broken into around 3:30 a.m. on a Saturday. The thief took a $1,200 aviation headset, a $5,000 watch, $250 Meta glasses, an iPad, $400 in cash, and credit cards. Hours later, Panero remembered the GPS tracker tucked in his wallet, followed its signal, and called D.C. police, who helped him get the headset back. Some of the other items are still missing. (Fox 5 DC)

Now flip it

Same hardware, opposite intent: a small box sending GPS coordinates to someone else’s phone, hidden on your car without your consent. The technology isn’t the villain. The tracker you didn’t put there is.

• A plug-in tracker in the OBD-II port from a buy-here-pay-here lot
• A magnetic box under a bumper from someone who doesn’t wish you well
• The factory telematics modem reporting your location to the automaker

So check your car

1. The OBD-II port under the steering wheel
2. Under the dash, around the steering column
3. Inside the front and rear bumpers
4. The wheel wells
5. Under the car on the frame rails
6. Under the seats and in the seat pockets
7. The trunk and spare-tire well
8. The glovebox, console, and visors
9. The engine bay near the battery
10. The rear bumper, third brake light, and roof trim

Details for each spot are in how to find a GPS tracker on your car. If you think someone is stalking you, don’t remove what you find yet. Photograph it and contact police first.