Vancouver Tesla Owners Track Stolen Model S With Tesla’s App

Stealing a modern day electric car is harder than you think.

This car thief got more than he bargained for when he decided to choose an $80,000 Tesla Model S as his next victim. According to The Province based out of Canada on their report earlier today (Nov. 3, 2015) thanks to the Tesla Model S App officially published by Tesla, Katya and Cary Pinkowski were able to track the location of their Tesla Model S after finding out it had been stolen. Thanks to GPS technology, the Pinkowski’s were able to track the Tesla’s movement every step of the way as it made its way around Canada.

More from Art of Gears

• 3 Reasons the 2024 Mazda CX-50 Is Among the Best Small SUVs
• The Jeep Renegade Is Discontinued: Here’s a Look at Its Legacy
• 2023 Nissan Armada: A Decent Full Size SUV With 1 Glaring Issue
• Best Minivans: 3 Options for Families With Solid Performance
• Here’s Why the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E Is So Popular

According to Katya, accompanied by a friend, they both attended a concert and when they returned to the parking garage where their Tesla was parked, it was nowhere to be found. A call to her husband Cary uncovered the fact that they could track the Model S via GPS thanks to an App downloadable on any smartphone. They also realized that they had left an extra keyfob in the car earlier, allowing anyone to open the door and drive off. Although 100 percent of the blame is on the thief, surely the Pinkowski’s will be more vigilant where they place any spare keys.

The chase quickly transitioned in conjunction with the police and according to Katya, it was quite fun.

"“It was so much fun, actually,” Cary Pinkowski said.“I could tell the 911 operator was excited … they’d never had this before, where they could actually track the car.”"

And supposedly this is the first time a Tesla was stolen in Vancouver and recovered in such a unique fashion.

Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?

It seems the days of not knowing where your car is in the event of a theft are coming to a close. Hopefully, all vehicles will incorporate this “insurance peace of mind” technology on all cars sometime in the future (sooner rather than later) or at least offer it up as an option. Until then, car thieves just might have to get smarter or live an honest lifestyle.