Parents looking to keep tabs on their kids when they take the car for a spin and people who love their cars but don't necessarily love their neighborhoods have a tool they can use to make sure their car comes home safely, or at least that anyone who tries to harm it is caught. The GPS Snitch Vehicle Tracker is a device that promises if something happens to your car, you'll be the first to know.

The GPS Snitch is about the size of a paperback book, and unlike similar devices such as the LoJack, doesn't require complex installation. Once the batteries in the GPS Snitch are charged, you just place the device in your car--in the cabin, trunk, or hidden somewhere else. You can configure the device to alert you when the car moves, or you can set up a "virtual security perimeter," so if the vehicle moves out of range, the GPS Snitch will let you know. The device comes with its own antenna and SIM card so it can communicate independently.

When the GPS Snitch goes off, it can send you an e-mail or text alert that your phone is either in motion or has left the security perimeter. Then you can track your car on the GPS Snitch Web site and watch in real time where your son or daughter is headed after the school dance, or call the police to let them know someone's stolen you car--and by the way, this is where it's currently headed. The GPS Snitch is $399.99 for the kit, and a subscription to the tracking service is an additional $30 activation fee and $15-$26 monthly fee.

[ via OhGizmo! ]