For many of us, particularly the social networking addicts, life without our smartphone or laptop is unthinkable. Their value also makes them highly targeted items for thieves. With GPS tracking devices inbuilt into most devices, police are now using applications to return stolen goods and catch criminals in the act.

On Friday, two men were able to track down and locate a man that stole an iPad from their vehicle in Brunswick. The man was handed over to police and charged with theft and possession of stolen goods.

Our tech-savvy followers on Twitter and Facebook cheered and many have requested information about how they too can protect their beloved mobile devices. Alas, while this story had a happy ending, the men that tracked down the offender put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. Detective Senior Constable Lisa Kelly has worked on a number of investigations where the tracking devices have been used and warns people not to attempt to locate the stolen goods themselves.

"Once you have logged on and received a map location of your phone, ring the police immediately. Do not take any of the steps that the app allows you to do, like send the device a message. This will make sure the person who has the phone is unaware it is being tracked and will give police time to act", Det Sen Const Kelly said.

Don't have a smartphone but still want to protect your mobile? Keep a note of the mobile's unique code, known as an IMEI number. This number can be reported to the police and blocked, making the phone useless on any network provider.

With the number of thieves apprehended via technology fast on the rise, would-be criminals should think twice before making off with your device.

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