In Your Car
- Many thefts or car break-ins happen because owners make it easy for the thief.
- It may be difficult to protect your car from a determined, professional thief, but most car crime is committed by opportunists who may be put off by relatively cheap security precautions.
- Remember, it only takes a thief a few seconds to get into a vehicle.
By following these simple steps you could significantly reduce the likelihood of being a victim of vehicle crime:
General vehicle security:
- Fit an alarm and always use it
- All new cars are fitted with electronic immobilisers but if your car is over four years old, consider having an immobiliser professionally fitted
- Fit a locking petrol cap and wheel nuts
- Buy a steering lock and use it every time you leave the car
- Have your car registration number etched on every window
- Security mark all valuables in the car, such as radios and Sat Nav systems, using an ultraviolet pen and keep a record of all property marked
- Consider fitting a vehicle tracking device
- Lock all windows, doors and the sunroof whenever you leave the vehicle, even for just a few minutes
- Never leave keys in the ignition — even for just a few seconds or to heat the car up in winter
- Remove all valuables — never leave anything on display
Sat Navs
It’s no coincidence that the growth in popularity of Sat Navs has coincided with a new crime trend of Sat Nav theft.
Keep your Sat Nav safe from thieves by:
- Not using it on daily trips – you know the way to the supermarket!
- Take portable Sat Navs with you when leaving the car, together with the support cradle and suction pads
- Don’t be a sucker!
- Wipe away any suction pad marks left on the windscreen or dashboard – thieves will look out for these
- Don’t leave the equipment in the glove box – thieves will usually check there first
- Don’t leave anything on view in your vehicle. Thieves are opportunists and it only takes them moments to break into your vehicle
- What if it is stolen?
In the unfortunate event of your Sat Nav being stolen, the following advice could help its recovery:
- Mark your Sat Nav with your postcode or vehicle registration number using special security markers
- Make a note of the name, make, model and serial number. Record that information on immobilise.com
- Store your personal details in the Sat Nav hard drive on purchase
[ Click here to download a card to store details of your sat nav on (PDF 370k) ]
- What if your car is stolen/broken into?
Contact the police as soon as possible - if you live in the West Midlands, telephone 101 and ask for your local station.
- If possible, have full details available of the make, model and registration number of the vehicle
- If your vehicle has been broken into, tell the officers the method used (eg by breaking a side window)
- Make a list of any property stolen from the vehicle, giving as many details as possible
- Ask neighbours or people living in the area if they saw anything suspicious
- If the vehicle has been stolen, tell officers if there was anything inside of particularly high value or that was potentially dangerous
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