Australia’s car theft problem is far from a relic of the past. Despite modern advancements in vehicle security, car theft across Australia remains a serious issue, with more than 50,000 vehicles stolen annually (about 140 cars every day).
Up until a few years ago, the idea of having my car stolen seemed like one of those things that happened to other people. In my previous residence, I often accidentally left the keys in the car with the garage door open overnight. The idea that someone would come into my house and steal one of my cars seemed foreign.
But then it happened. In the early hours of the morning, some kids decided to break into my house and take the keys to my Jaguar F-Pace. The first thing they did was remove the OBD port-installed tracker and throw it out the window — they also did that with the dash cam and even the SD card for the satellite navigation.
The first I heard about the Jaguar being stolen was a call from the police telling me I hadn’t paid for fuel at 6:00am in the morning. They asked if my car had been stolen and I said no, how ridiculous, and I kept telling them they got the wrong car and number.
They eventually convinced me to leave the comfort of my bed to double check my car hadn’t been stolen. ‘Of course, it hasn’t been stolen. I would have heard about that,’ I thought to myself as I walked downstairs.
Oh! Where is my car?
For the next few days, the Italian racing red F-Pace drove around Brisbane and Ipswich, accumulating speeding fines. At one point, the very helpful people at Queensland police kept sending me tickets instead of apprehending the thieves, who were so brazen about the theft that they didn’t even bother to remove the personalised plates!
To cut a long story short, the vehicle was eventually returned (surprisingly undamaged) after more than a week. The police had no way to track the car (nor care to, as I had no means to provide them any details) and told me to basically write it off.
Since then, all 10 of my cars have had Apple AirTags in them (some have two), which is not really a car theft protection device but seemingly serves a similar purpose.
Recently, I was introduced to a product called Guardian Assist, from a company that offers hard-wired GPS and real-time tracking devices that have been engineered and specifically developed for vehicle security in Australia.
Before we get into the benefits of a real car tracker, it’s easy to ignore their need (as I did) and simply use an AirTag, so one must ask: Is an AirTag enough?
In the two years of having AirTags in all my cars, I can tell you a few things. First, they genuinely offer some basic reassurance that your cars are where you think they are. In fact, they give a decent sense of security when the cars are in the garage. It’s a basic level of security that everyone should have in their car. But if you value your car and live in a high crime rate area, it’s simply not reliable enough when one actually gets stolen.
A few issues have made me question the AirTag’s usefulness as a theft protection device. When I have had a car in for service, the location often doesn’t update for hours at a time despite me knowing full well the vehicle has moved.
This has to do with the AirTag not coming across an iPhone at a specific location, which is how it communicates its location to the broader network. This is pretty useless if your thieves use Android phones (and the inverse if you use a Samsung Smartag).
Secondly, the battery really doesn’t last a year and I have had some that needed three in 12 months. And because you have to hide them somewhere in the car the thieves can’t easily find, I have definitely lost a few when the battery dies and I can’t find them either.
Perhaps the most annoying part of the AirTag is that when my friends or family take one of my cars, it keeps telling them that something is tracking their location (Apple’s built-in stalking protection) and helps them locate and disable the device. It’s not exactly helpful if that person is the thief!
Since they originally came out, Apple has changed the AirTag’s security so you can add your family to the AirTag’s ownership as well. Therefore it doesn’t do that for them, but still doesn’t solve the problem of a random person taking your car and disabling the AirTag with Apple’s help.
An AirTag is a feel-good device when things are going well, but if your car actually gets stolen, it will be of limited use compared to a real tracker. Ultimately, it was time for me to get a grown-up car tracker.
For those of you who think kids can’t steal your brand-new car because it’s the latest and/or greatest, let me tell you: so long as it has a key, they can absolutely steal it.
While older vehicles with minimal security still account for many car thefts, high-tech car thieves target newer models. From key fob cloning to relay attacks that trick your car into thinking your key is nearby, today’s criminals aren’t just opportunistic — they’re organised and technically savvy.
You can buy a relay or key cloner on the dark web for a few hundred bucks. For some cars you don’t even need to, you can make a key just by knowing the VIN — have a look at this video we did a little while ago for proof.
According to the company, the Guardian Assist TR22 PRO is not just another GPS tracker — it’s a complete vehicle security and recovery system backed by a GRADE A1 Security Control Room, working hand-in-hand with emergency services if your vehicle is stolen.
That sounds like a lot of marketing speak, but for a device that costs $295 plus installation and ongoing fees, is it worth the investment? It really comes down to how much you value your vehicle and whether you think you can do the tracking work yourself in the event of a theft.
Here are the TR22 PRO’s main benefits according to the company.
Real-Time Emergency Support – Direct to police
Most GPS trackers will tell you where your car is (or was one hour ago if you have an AirTag!), but you’re on your own from there. The TR22 PRO takes a different approach, integrating directly with a professional, 24/7 Security Control Room.
If your vehicle is stolen, the control room shares live location data directly with police, enabling faster responses, better coordination with patrols, and a much better chance of recovery before it disappears into a container or chop shop.
Advanced GPS tracking with 4G
Older tracking systems often rely on 2G or 3G networks, which are slow, unreliable, and rapidly being phased out in Australia.
The TR22 PRO uses 4G connectivity, providing faster, more accurate location updates. This ensures that you (and emergency services) always know where your vehicle is in real time.
Whether your car’s parked at the pub, on the move, or somewhere it shouldn’t be, you’ll have constant, precise tracking at your fingertips.
Seamless police integration
One of the biggest frustrations for vehicle owners with traditional trackers is what happens after the theft.
Even if you know where your car is, convincing police to act can be challenging if the data isn’t verified, or if you can’t share updates efficiently. I definitely had this issue when people spotted my stolen Jaguar at certain locations — by the time I got the police to care, it was long gone.
The Guardian Assist TR22 PRO removes this hurdle entirely. The Security Control Room handles all communication with police, providing live, verified data directly to officers.
Tamper-resistant installation
A good tracker is only useful if it stays hidden (and doesn’t run out of battery like an AirTag). The TR22 PRO is installed with a discreet two-wire connection to your battery, making it hard for thieves to find and disable.
It’s easy for a professional to install or you can follow the instructions provided, and for drivers who want extra protection, there’s an optional ignition control feature — meaning your vehicle can be remotely immobilised if needed. A major benefit.
What’s the catch?
While the AirTag uses every iPhone it comes across to communicate its location to you, a GPS tracker on a 4G network requires an active network connection and, of course, the call centre that manages and tracks your car and deals with the police isn’t free.
The device itself is currently priced at $295 and then you can either pay a $24.5 monthly fee, or $265 for a year or $795 for three years.
All plans include full app access, live tracking, and emergency response services, with no hidden fees that we found.
Real-life scenario: The TR22 PRO in action
Let’s say I had the TR22 in my Jaguar that night, and it was stolen; kids broke in, stole the keys, and disappeared with the car while I was asleep.
If I only had a standard tracker or an AirTag, I’d realise the car is gone and call the police or, as it happened, they’d call me. I would then have to tell them where I think the car is at that moment in time and hope they take me seriously and act fast. Given they were more interested in sending me speeding tickets than finding the car last time, I don’t have much faith in the process.
With the TR22 PRO, it would have been a very different story. When my Jaguar was moved, I would have got an immediate alert. I would have realised it was stolen much earlier and left it to Guardian Assist’s 24/7 Security Control Room to track the car and coordinate directly with QLD police.
There is no doubt in my mind they would have taken a call from their security room far more seriously than one from me, especially given they would have had immediate and shareable live access to the car’s location, giving them a much higher chance of catching the thieves in the act.
Does it work as well as they say?
I put a TR22 Pro in one of my cars, and using the app to track the car’s location was instant and accurate. I am not mechanically competent enough to install and wire it up myself, so getting it done by an auto electrician is a great idea, especially for high-value cars.
Final verdict
There are many car trackers around, and if you do one thing today look into how thieves are currently stealing cars of all values. You’ll realise that a basic AirTag provides you with the bare minimum in the event your pride and joy is stolen.
If you are serious about keeping your car safe, get yourself a real GPS car tracker that is hardwired in. The Guardian Assist TR22 PRO stands out because it’s not just about knowing where your car is — it’s about getting it back quickly and safely with the right professionals handling the hard work.
We are currently looking to do a video comparison of the real-world difference between an Apple AirTag versus an Samsung Smart Tag 2 versus the Guardian Assist TR22 Pro.
These GPS units were provided by Guardian Assist.
