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Car Security Advice to Prevent Car Crime

Car crime makes up a significant number of all recorded crimes across the United Kingdom. Car crime can be distressing and annoying as it can cause a great deal of inconvenience, as you could be without a car for a long period of time.

This could be due to waiting for the garage to make repairs or for your insurer to pay. The majority of vehicle crime occurs from criminals seeing opportunities and taking them. But you can easily outsmart the car thief by following the car security advice within this article.

Car Security Advice to Prevent Car Crime

Top tips for Car Security:

Don't Leave Valuables on Show

It might sound obvious but leaving items on show is an invitation to the opportunist criminal - mobile phones, satnavs and mounts, power leads, money, wallets, handbags, sunglasses, coats, jackets and bags should always be removed from the vehicle or hidden well out of sight

Hide Keys & Fobs

Keys and ignition fobs should be kept safe and out of sight and reach. A common way to steal a car is to take the keys or ignition fob, so never leave them in the vehicle, even if it is unattended for a moment. When at home ensure that your keys or ignition fob are kept well away from windows or doors so that they cannot be seen by a potential thief, and never leave them close to the front door where they can be accessed through letterboxes

Lock Doors & Close Windows!

Always lock and close the windows of your vehicle when you leave it unattended - be this on the drive, the petrol station forecourt, when de-icing your vehicle in the winter or when getting a ticket to park. An unlocked vehicle is the easiest to steal or steal from.

Fit an Alarm

If your vehicle is not fitted with a manufacturers’ fitted alarm and/or immobiliser, consider installing an approved system. Most new vehicles come with one fitted, you can find out more from the Thatcham Research Centre. The Thatcham Research Consumer Security Rating assesses a new vehicle’s all-round security. Find out more: https://www.thatcham.org/

Install a Tracker

Tracker systems can increase the recovery of your car if it is stolen. Many systems activate once the car is stolen and track the car via GPS and other systems. SBD have several members which specialise in this area and can advise you on the best system and fitting of the product for your vehicle type

Use Physical Security

Physical security products such as a steering wheel lock or a lock that fits over the gear lever still act as a good deterrent

Secure your Number Plates

Fit theft-resistant number plate fittings. Stolen number plates are commonly used to hide the identity of stolen vehicles. Use one-way clutch head screws to secure number plates

Parking your car at home

  • Consider fitting a garage alarm. If you have a house alarm system, consider connecting it to the garage. Further information about alarms can be found on our SBD Alarm Advice Webpage

  • Another option is to park your car on a drive. If your drive has gates, consider closing them at night or when you are not using your vehicle

  • If you don’t have gates, a vehicle bollard will provide an extra visible deterrent.

  • One area that is often overlooked is the security of the garage doors. Unfortunately, many older garage doors are very easy to break-into so you should consider replacing them with an accredited SBD product.
Garage Security Advice

Park under street lights

If you are parking your car on the street overnight, consider parking it under or near a street light. The opportunistic criminal does not want to be seen or caught and this simple step may protect your car, not only from theft but also from someone causing criminal damage to your vehicle.

Consider CCTV

CCTV can be a deterrent and help protect both your car and home. If you do decide to use CCTV it is important to read the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) advice on Domestic CCTV systems. Click the button below to find out more:

CCTV Security Advice

Parking Away from Home

When away from home, consider using a Park Mark approved car park

There are 5,000+ ‘Park Mark’ car parks around the country. The Park Mark® Safer Parking Scheme is part of the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI) portfolio and is aimed at reducing both crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities.

Accredited car parks can be found at train stations, hospitals, universities, town centres, shopping centres, leisure centres, airports, supermarkets, banks and office blocks

The smallest has 10 spaces, the largest has 13,000. You can find them in cities, towns, villages and tourist attractions.

Police Preferred Specification Products for Vehicle Security