STOLEN fleet vehicles that are shipped over to France could be recovered following an alliance between security company Tracker and its sister company Traqueur.

The two groups have been granted rights to use the same radio frequency, enabling French police to locate stolen vehicles bought from the UK.

Tracker is able to trace vehicles using a remote sensor which is activated when a vehicle fitted with Tracker is illegally moved. Alternatively the vehicle owner can alert Tracker that their car has been stolen.

More than 100,000 vehicles are stolen and not recovered every year, with many making their way to France.

A spokesman for Kent Police, which has prevented 1,000 stolen vehicles from being shipped to France, said: 'Organised vehicle crime is a highly profitable business and a massive problem. The way in which gangs operate is very sophisticated and Kent Police welcomes any initiative that helps in the ongoing fight against vehicle crime and organised gangs.'

To date, Tracker has led the police to retrieve more than 9,000 stolen vehicles.