Scania tech thwarts thieves

Scania claims its Fleet Management System is helping to reduce the incidence of vehicle theft, with almost 150,000 vehicles making use of the system.

Early one morning, Ulf Melin, the owner of Sweden’s Ulf Melin Entreprenad, discovered that his truck wasn't in the garage where it had been left.

"The driver thought that I was out driving and rang me," Melin explains.

"Because I wasn't out, we immediately realised that the truck was stolen. I rang the police first and then Scania."

Because the truck was connected to Scania Fleet Management, Scania was able to track it down. The Fleet Management System works with the Scania Communicator to gather information on where a vehicle is currently located and where it has been.

Rickard Seijbold, Scania's Area Manager for Fleet and Driver Services, was able to trace the truck.

"I turned on the control package and saw the truck's most recent position," he says.

"Half an hour later, the police were on the scene. Everything happened really quickly."

Melin went with the police to the identified location and found the truck standing there, in good condition.

"We were able to locate the truck thanks to the communicator," he says.

Scania was also able to provide police with details of the truck's route and where it stopped after it was stolen, information which could be of help to officers undertaking the investigation.