No matter what the official statistics claim, the preponderance of car theft remains stubbornly high. Any victim of car theft is left with ever increasing insurance costs, the pain and expense of replacing the vehicle and anything that might have been kept inside, and an increasing sense of fear and anxiety over it happening again.
Car theft often appears opportunistic – but is actually a highly organized crime run by groups who ship the vehicles out to overseas markets that are ready and waiting. High end, premium car brands are most at risk. One report from a well known British insurer claimed that since 2015, the equivalent of one premium car was stolen every 38 minutes.
Preventing the theft of a vehicle can be achieved through implementing a number of strategic ways. We highlight below some of the simple, but effective, ways in which you can ensure better protection of your car against the organized car crime gangs.
Measures you can take to protect you car
First and foremost, it is important to do as much as possible to keep your car locked and secured no matter where it is parked. Although keeping it on a private driveway may be enough to keep it away from covetous eyes, you need to feel confident that your car is safe wherever you are.
As such, there are certain measures that can be taken to protect your car when it is parked in a pubic space such as in a car park or on the street.
Use a steering wheel lock – when stealing a car, speed is the name of the game. Everything you can do to visibly slow down a thief will be a deterrent. Installing a simple steering wheel lock, that costs on average £50, will immediately throw that first deterrent into the mix and make the burglar think twice.
Car alarm and immobilizer – on premium vehicles a car alarm and immobilizer will be fitted as standard. Although many gangs keep refining their own technologies to combat this, so do the car manufacturers. Make sure you keep your vehicle updated with the latest security systems to ensure that they combat the gangs.
Invest in a Faraday pouch – This low cost bag will block your key’s electromagnetic signal, preventing the potential cloning of the signal by a thief who would then be able to immediately replicate your key and drive off in your key.
Measures you can take to protect your car when parked on your property
Block the entrance to your driveway – while a gate is the best form of obstruction, even something as simple as a couple of driveway bollards will be enough to deter a car thief from entering your property and attempting to steal your vehicle. Bollards are not just visible deterrents, but will act as a locked, physical obstruction that will put off any touring gangs looking for an easy mark.
Make your driveway look like Blackpool illuminations – criminal gangs love to work under the cover of darkness. Put the spotlight on anyone who really shouldn’t be anywhere near your car. Motion sensitive cameras and lights can be installed relatively cost effectively these days, lighting up even the darkest of corners, giving criminals no where to hide. Linked to other security deterrents such as alarms and cameras linked to Smart phones, there is very little that can go by unnoticed. In many streets, neighbours will operate an ‘unofficial’ notification scheme, whereby each property’s camera system will track the suspicious movements of an individual, ensuring that all homeowners remain vigilant to a potential threat.
