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Don't become a victim of Car Crime

Car crime is always amongst the top of the recorded offences. Theft of, or theft of items from, a car count for a large chunk of reported crime and cost insurers millions of pounds each year.

Steps to take

Most crimes of this type are opportunist, so here are few tips to help you make it that bit more difficult for the criminal.

• Never leave the keys to your vehicle in the ignition, even for a moment.
• Never leave your vehicle outside a shop or your house with the engine running.
• Always lock your car when you leave it, even for a few moments.

If your car gets stolen and you left it unlocked, with the keys in the ignition or with the motor running, your insurance company could hold you to blame and refuse to honour your claim.

• Always shut the windows when you leave your car.
• Never leave valuables on display in the vehicle.

Lap tops, mobile telephones, cash, SatNavs, should always go in either the boot or the glove box, out of sight. Even put CD's where they cannot be seen.

• Always remove the SatNavs cradle from sight and don't leave it attached to the windscreen.

If you have a SatNav cradle on display, you clearly have a SatNav. Well worth a criminals risk to smash in your side window and have a check of the centre console or glove box, just in case.

• Use locking wheel nuts and a locking petrol cap.

If your car hasn't got them fitted a standard you can get these for a few pounds from Halfords or any motoring retailer.

• If your stereo system has a detachable face piece, remove it and take it with you.

Without the face piece, the radio or CD player won't work, and criminals know that. No point in taking the risk to steal something you can't sell.

• If you are leaving your car in a public car park, try to leave it where it can be seen by CCTV.
• If you are parking on a road for the evening, try to leave it under a street light.
• If your vehicle has a manually operated alarm, set it. If it is an automatically setting system, test every once in a while to make sure it works.
• Make sure the steering lock is always engaged when you leave the vehicle.

Obvious really, make it more difficult for a thief.

Increase the risk for them, decrease the risk to you.

• Get your windows etched with your registration number.
• Use a tamperproof tax disc holder.
• If you car is an expensive model, consider investing in a tracker system, so your car can be traced if it is ever stolen.
• If possible put your car in the garage at night, and consider using a battery powered alarm.
• If you do leave the car on your driveway, think about installing a security light which is motion sensitive, so it will go on if anyone approaches the vehicle.
• Finally, vehicle identity can be cloned in just the same way a credit card can. If your number plates, or tax disc get stolen, tell the Police straight away and also tell them if you start receiving parking fines or speeding tickets from areas you have never been to. Chances are there is a vehicle identical to yours that is either stolen or has been written off which is driving around displaying your index number.

Sources of Information

If you want to know how secure you car is, the visit www.thatcham.org. This is a web site run by Thatcham, a company who specialise in all types of vehicle security. Just put the make and model of your car in to their search engine and it will give you their rating for how secure your particular vehicle is.

Many other sites offer advice on vehicle safety, including the AA and many Police forces. There is also an abundance of information web sites run by companies who manufacture and supply car security systems. There are too many sites too list here, but a search on Google or your favourite search engine will bring up pages of them.