Nabbed by ¿Chav Nav¿: Crook is first in the UK to be caught by revolutionary tag that monitored his every move 'Buddi' tracker uses GPS software to locate the ankle its attached to Scheme is still just voluntary but officers want it to be made compulsory Chips in the tag send location signals every two minutes to police computer A prolific thief has been jailed after being caught red-handed - thanks to the electronic tag he was wearing that let police know his exact location. The case, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, demonstrates the value of a new generation of electronic tags now being used by half of all police forces in England and Wales. Glen Foster was one of a handful of hardened criminals in Hull who agreed to wear a new ankle bracelet so officers could use the latest GPS software to pinpoint his location at all times. Using technology similar to that found in cars" satnav systems, the tags have been dubbed "chav nav." Innovative: One of 'Buddi's' electronic tags, locked onto the ankle of criminals under supervision whose whereabouts are completely traceable The idea is that a bracelet can put a suspect in the clear if they were not near a crime scene, and remind them they will be easily caught if they do commit an offence. Foster's tag allowed Humberside Police to track down the 38-year-old after reports that someone had been looking into cars. He was found with an armoury of lockbreaking tools, including torches, pliers, a screwdriver and even the keys to three corned beef tins. Foster - who has 154 convictions for offences including burglary and robbery - admitted going equipped to steal and breaching a suspended prison sentence at Hull Crown Court last week. He was jailed for a year. His barrister, Ian Phillip, said that the ankle bracelet his client had worn for a month before his arrest on January 10 had proved crucial. And Judge Michael Mettyear praised the scheme, saying: "His very own satnav showed he was there. This is success for the new innovation. Foster was one of six repeat offenders who agreed to wear the new tags - which cost £200 a month - as part of the Humberside pilot scheme. Powerful little thing: This small device can locate its wearer and alert police if they have strayed to a prohibited area Despite the case, the tags are being hailed a success - and officers now want to buy 20 more as they believe they help to cut crime and save money. There is also "huge demand" from offenders themselves for the new technology. Detective Inspector Darren Webb, the officer in charge of the trial, said: "We have them coming to us now because they have seen how it helps other people." The chips in the tags use satellite technology to send location signals every two minutes. Police can follow the wearer's position on a computer and even see how fast they are travelling. Officers receive alerts if the subjects enter "exclusion zones," such as if a sex offender is near a school, or whether a pickpocket is in a shopping centre. Their movements can also be plotted on maps of crime locations to see if they were in the area. Old technology: An electronic tag in 1988 - the chips may have changed but the designs have stayed very similar Humberside Police are one of 24 out of 43 forces in England and Wales to try the "Buddi" trackers, also used by health authorities and care homes to keep tabs on mental health patients and elderly people with dementia. But the police schemes remain voluntary, to the anger of newly elected police and crime commissioners who want a national scheme that would allow them to force selected groups of offenders to wear the devices when they are released from jail. The current national scheme only enforces overnight curfews for prisoners on home visits before release.