Provincial police say they’ve successfully used GPS tracker dart technology for the first time – and it led them right to Waterloo Region.

The satellite-based technology, which was rolled out last month, gives officers the option of using laser-aimed darts to track fleeing vehicles.

The darts are considered a safer alternative to a police chase.

Once a dart is fired at a vehicle, it attaches itself to it via an adhesive and a magnet. The vehicle can then be tracked remotely from OPP operations centres.

Wednesday afternoon, the OPP say, the system was deployed successfully for the first time.

A pickup truck that had allegedly refused to stop for officers in London was followed by officers as it made its way along Highway 401, exiting at Drumbo Road.

Once off the highway, a GPS tracker dart was fired at the vehicle. Via that technology, the truck was traced to an address in Waterloo where it had stopped.

Waterloo Regional Police officers then responded to that address and found the truck, which was allegedly towing a stolen trailer.

With files from The Canadian Press