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Vehicle Security. Most vehicle crime is opportunistic and happens as a result of a vehicle being left vulnerable or unsecured. You can help us prevent opportunist thieves from striking by following these tips: Park somewhere safe – a garage or a well-lit streetReduce the risk of theft – use alarms, immobilisers and locking devices. Obvious targets such as laptops, SatNavs, DashCams should be removed if possible.Take valuables with you – handbags, phones, CDs and even loose change can be valuable to a would-be thief. Every time you leave your car, lock the doors and close the windows.Car keys should never be left in the ignition if you are away from your car. Thieves will also enter a house to steal car keys. Keep your keys away from easily accessible areas in the home such as windowsills and doors. Catalytic converter thefts. All types of vehicle are vulnerable. Did you know a thief can take the catalytic converter from your vehicle in a matter of minutes? To reduce the risk of having your catalytic converter stolen you should: Park your car in a locked garage where possible, but if this isn’t an option, then park it in a well-lit and well populated area. Park close to fences, walls or a kerb with the exhaust being closet to the fence/wall to make the theft more difficult. If parking in a public car park, consider parking alongside other cars, facing your bonnet towards the wall if possible. If your catalytic converter is bolted in, you can ask your local garage to weld the bolts to make it more difficult to remove. You can also etch a serial number on the converter and/or consider forensic marking.Consider using a ‘cage clamp’ which is a cage device that locks in around the converter to make it difficult to remove.Speak to your dealership about the possibility of adding a tilt sensor that will activate the alarm should any thief try and jack the vehicle up to steal the converter. Use high visibility signage to deter thieves. To keep your vehicle safe, ask your manufacturer or dealer if they can give you advice on locks or guards to protect the catalytic converters under the vehicle. Any products will need to be approved by the vehicle manufacturer for use on your vehicle model. Preventing keyless car thefts. Keyless entry vehicles, although convenient, are currently an extremely easy target for theft with increasing numbers being stolen. However, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk: Ensure your vehicle is properly locked and keep keys far away from doors and windows to ensure the vehicle is no longer in range of the keys signal. Place the keys in a metal/foiled lined box or container, or another container that blocks they keys signal from reaching the vehicle when it is not in use.Switch off they keys wireless signal when you don’t need your vehicle. If you are unsure if your key has this function, find out in your owner’s manual. You could also purchase an aftermarket security device, such as a steering wheel lock, a driveway parking post or even a wheel clamp. Even if the thieves are able to access and start your car, these should prevent them from driving away. Many criminals consider bypassing these as ‘to much hassle’. Other steps include checking if there are any software updates for the car itself, remaining vigilant for unusual activity in your area and having an aftermarket immobiliser or tracker fitted. |
