Tuesday, December 07, 2010

US churches fit GPS to baby Jesus in bid to stop nativity thefts

If a church is worried that heartless Grinches might steal from its Nativity scene, it can tag the Baby Jesus with a GPS tracker. BrickHouse Security is providing free GPS trackers to churches and communities across the country.

Religious institutions and nonprofits can enroll in a programme to get a free Spark Nano GPS tracker to install inside a Baby Jesus statue or attach to a Menorah. That way if a thief makes off with a cherished treasure, the church, synagogue, or other group can log on via computer or mobile phone to track the missing items. Individuals can rent the devices for their own displays at home.



"Not only is GPS tracking rental a success for people looking for a no-hassle, GPS tracking solution, but it's great that we were able to translate this success into a wider program, helping more people," said BrickHouse CEO Todd Morris.

St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church in Old Bridge, N.J., has installed the device after suffering from thefts and vandals in the past. "There's been no attempt of theft since we announced that we're tracking our Jesus," said Alan Czyewski of St. Ambrose Church. "This is our third year, and we love this. People are now well aware of our GPS Jesus, so they leave it alone."

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