VIT Innovation recently worked with one of its local authority clients to catch a fly-tipper. Using bespoke state of the art GPS tracking hidden inside a glue tube, VIT Innovation was able to hide the glue tube amongst discarded waste that was due for collection by the suspected fly-tipper.
The waste was due to be collected as part of a regular collection by a contractor who was supposed to be disposing the waste at a registered waste disposal site. The local authority suspected that the fly-tipper had dumped loads illegally on previous occasions and needed a solution that would not require using large and costly human resources. The local authority consulted VIT Innovation who specialises in providing bespoke solutions to security and public nuisance problems.
VIT's research and development team inserted the small GPS tracking device into a glue tube, which was then placed into one of the bags of rubbish awaiting collection. The self-contained device was capable of operating from its own internal battery for up to 100 hours, offering real time data tracking.
From its headquarters in Hertfordshire, VIT Innovation was able to monitor the precise location of the refuse and driver. VIT integrated the signal from the unit with Google Earth software, which provided real time information regarding the van location, using a mixture of maps and aerial photography. The level of detail from the software provi
ded the VIT team with precise information which could be relayed to a small surveillance team following the van. This proved vital when the team lost sight of the van when it became delayed in traffic.
The load was tracked to a forested area, off the main road and under he cover of trees. Using the signals from the GPS unit, the local authority team was directed to the exact location of the load, which had been dumped by this time, with the vehicle already having left the location. As with most fly tips, the perpetrator normally only spends a few minutes at the location.
The load was successfully tracked, located and recovered, all within 2 hours of the load first being picked up. Using the tracking evidence collected, along with the photographic records of the dumping, the offender was identified and is now being prosecuted by the local authority.
