Protect your car from thieves
Car thieves can be experts in their trade. Fortunately, it is possible to protect your beloved motor against unscrupulous criminals.
According to the latest British Crime Survey, car crime was down 16 per cent in 2010. Despite this good news, we need to remain vigilant if we want to keep our vehicles secure.
Even with insurance, being the victim of car crime can get pretty expensive. The AA estimates the average value of a car stolen when the keys are taken is over £10,000.
Here are just a few ways to boost your car’s security.
Beware staged accidents
Some thieves will cause a minor accident to gain access to their victims’ vehicles.
The criminal will bump into you from behind and then signal to pull over so you can exchange insurance details. While you are standing outside, the thief may jump inside the car and drive away.
If another driver bumps into you in a dark or secluded area, it could be worth waiting until you are in a more well-lit public area to pull over – if at all possible.
Strategic shopping
If you’re out shopping, leaving an expensive purchase on display in your car could make you a more attractive target to thieves.
If you see something that catches your eye in the morning, ask staff if you could buy it and return to collect it later in the day. When this isn’t possible, you could delay the purchase until the end of the day so it isn’t sitting in your car unguarded for hours.
Double up
Of course, security features are one of the most effective ways to protect your motor. Therefore, it stands to reason that having more than one anti-theft device increases your car’s security.
Even if you have a state-of-the-art alarm system, it wouldn’t hurt to invest in a steering lock if you can afford to do so.
Make your car less attractive
Having VIN (vehicle identification number) etching should make your car less enticing to criminals. Because the number is permanently marked on the windshield and windows, thieves would probably need to replace the glass before they sell the vehicle onto a new owner. From a criminal’s point of view, this is a huge hassle – it is easier to find another car to steal.
Keep an eye on your keys
By leaving your car keys in your jacket pocket and hanging it up in the office or a pub you could be giving a criminal easy assess to your vehicle. Likewise, environments such as gym locker rooms could be an attractive hunting ground for car thieves and joyriders on the prowl for unguarded keys.
Also think carefully about where you store your keys. Research from More Than insurance indicates that car keys are the first item a burglar will look for when he or she enters your home.
**This material is for information purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We strongly encourage our readers not to rely solely on this content, but to seek independent advice when making financial decisions.**
