Has your gadget got APPeal? Get a tracking app. Get it back.

Gadget lovers are urged to install anti-theft tracking apps to make sure they keep their tech gear near in a new video showing the power of the apps.

Phones, tablets and laptops were popular Christmas gifts but they are not just desirable to you. These gadgets are much sought-after by thieves as they take only seconds to take and are easily concealed. However, you can turn the tables on these crooks by installing software that can help us catch them red-handed.

There are apps you can download for your phones, tablets and laptops which, if it is stolen, can show you a map location of the device. Some will also take photos using built-in cameras or keep a log of the internet pages that have been visited.

A video released today shows just how easy it can be to use an app to apprehend a thief. It shows a thief snatching a bag from someone waiting at a bus stop, the tracking software being activated and a police officer attending to arrest the hapless criminal.

The film stars PCSO Neil Spiring who reprises his role as a thief (as seen in Gone in 60 Seconds and See bike crime? Call 999) opposite Sergeant Chris Green. Both officers are based in Bristol.

Many of the apps are free and really can make a difference:

– In August 2011 a laptop was taken during a burglary in Cotham. The victim activated tracking software which emailed her updates on the laptop’s location and the websites it had visited. It even sent back images from the laptop’s webcam – including a photo of a man asleep next to the laptop. The victim phoned police, passed on the updates she was getting and the man was arrested later that day. He was convicted of handling stolen goods and was given an eight-week curfew and ordered to complete 70 hours of unpaid work.

– In July 2011 a burglar was arrested after a victim activated tracking software on a stolen laptop in Barton Hill. Thanks to the information provided police officers were able to follow a trail which led back to CCTV which showed the laptop being sold on the day it was stolen. The burglar was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for two burglaries.

Encouraging people to install these apps, Sergeant Chris Green said: “Having your gadgets stolen will be a huge inconvenience but remember its not just the item that’s stolen it is all the data it holds as well. This could be contact numbers, precious photographs or important documents. The cost to your wallet and your time could be considerable.

“There are apps out there for different operating systems which work in different ways but they usually allow people to log on remotely and see the location of the gadget. Others can record additional data – such as photos taken on the built-in camera – so we can see who is using the machine.

“The apps will help you get the technology back and mean we can apprehend the criminals quickly – and often catch them red-handed. If you own a smartphone, tablet or laptop it makes sense to find software that’s right for you and install it.”

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