Swag Bag: Don’t Be The Victim Of Car Theft

Car crime has been happening since the first car rolled off the conveyor belt, and that is because crime is as old as history itself; cars just offered up a new target, a nice target too. We pride our cars because they are objects of desire – why else would you have shelled out so much of your hard-earned cash on it. But there lies the problem. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter what modern security features your car has, there are still weaknesses; thieves just need to find and exploit. Which they always do. As such, we have compiled some helpful advice to help protect your car as best as possible.

Check and check again (and then check once more)

Central locking in cars is a convenient addition. You can lock as you walk away, brilliant. But it is always a great idea to double-check it is actually locked. Stand by your car and listen out for that heavy clunking noise that suggests all the doors are securely locked. Then pull on a handle just to make sure. What harm can it do. Another sign, which was developed for those locking as they walked away, is the flashing of the hazard lights. Just make sure this happens. You don’t want to realise your fob isn’t working when it is too late, because if your fob isn’t working then your car isn’t locking and if your car isn’t locking then the alarm probably isn’t set either. Unfortunately, it may not be your fob though. It may be a signal jammer; a car thief’s best friend. What this does is blocks the signal from your fob. Simple. So always check your car is locked.

Where to park

This isn’t so much good versus bad neighbourhood. This is more about where, as in well-lit areas, busy areas, areas where people will act as your best deterrent. Look for street lamps not dark corners. That sort of thing will act as a big help. So will shops. If you can get close to a busy shop front and park your car there, chances are you’re going to be safe from a break-in.

External theft

It isn’t always about breaking into our cars and stealing any belongings we left in there (best to hide these out of sight), or about stealing the car itself. Sometimes it can be stealing external parts of the car. It could be something tiny like an aerial. It could be something more important like your wheels. It could be your license plates. There is not a lot you can do if it is your aerial or wheels, except call the police and then call a company that can come and fit wheels wherever you are, Wiltshire Tyres for example. However, if it is your license plate then you really need to call the police immediately. Thieves steal license plates from cars that are similar to their own. This way they can then commit crimes on false-plates and a few days later you’ll be getting a knock at your door and a police officer asking for your whereabouts at the time of the crime. So phone it in.