You lock your car when leaving it in the driveway, on the street or in a busy city centre car park – but have you ever thought about adding additional security measures to your vehicle to keep any would-be thieves at bay?
Car technology may be more advanced than ever before, but at the same time, thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated at bypassing anti-theft devices. The good news is that you can take a few simple precautions that will reduce the likelihood of your car being stolen. We’ve listed our top tips below to get you started.
Lock your vehicle
It may seem obvious, but it’s important that you lock your vehicle whenever you park – even if you’re just filling up your tank or parked on your driveway. This greatly reduces that chance of being targeted by an opportunist thief. As well as locking the doors, you must check the windows and sunroof are shut.
It’s actually illegal to leave your car running when unattended – for example, when you de-ice it or warm it up during winter. If the car gets stolen when it’s left like this, your insurer won’t pay out, as you won’t be covered.
Park somewhere that’s secure
Make sure to leave your vehicle somewhere safe when you park it. If you’re at home, parking on the street is less secure than parking in your driveway, while parking in a lockable garage is more secure than parking in your drive. Alternatively, if you’re out and about, find somewhere that’s well-lit and in good public view. If you’re looking for a car park, try to find one that has CCTV or, if you’re at a shopping centre, park next to other shoppers rather than away from other cars. The more deterrents there are to potential thieves, the less likely they will be to target your vehicle.
Keep your car keys safe
It’s important to keep your car keys safe and out of view when at home and away from your front door. It’s not uncommon for them to be stolen by thieves who can fish them out with a hook through your letterbox.
Today, many cars use keyless entry and start – and although it’s very convenient, there are some security concerns. Many thieves perform a ‘relay’ attack, which involves using an electronic signal relay device to simulate the signal from a wireless key fob. Therefore, if you keep your key fob near your car, a thief can receive the signal from inside your house, transfer it to a second box and fool your car into thinking the key is close, unlock the car and start the ignition.
The best way to avoid this is using an anti-RFID card for your keys, which can prevent anyone from accessing the signal. Alternatively, you can place your keys in a metal box which will also block the signal.
Hide your valuables
Again, this may seem obvious, but having valuable items on display in your car may be enough to tempt a thief. Hiding your valuables or keeping them out of sight is always a good idea.
Install a dash cam
Dash cams are increasingly hi-tech these days. Yes, they’re useful for capturing road accidents, but many can record motion between set hours, even when the engine is switched off. They may also act as a visual deterrent if they’re easily noticeable. This makes them very useful if someone attempts to steal your car – after all, no thief wants their face recorded on camera.
Arnold Clark Autoparts has a wide range of dash cams available – including front and rear-facing cameras and some with parking modes that will monitor your vehicle even when you’re not around.
Browse our full range of dashboard cameras here.
Install visible security devices
Adding visual deterrents to your car will undoubtedly help to ward off any potential criminals.
For example, you could install a good-quality wheel clamp. This will stop the wheel from turning – making it impossible to drive and even difficult to tow, if the thief happens to have a towing truck. You should pick the wheel you clamp carefully too. For example, if the front of your car is facing a wall or another obstacle, a clamp on the back wheel will provide you with double the protection. Choose between a 14-inch clamp and a 16-inch clamp on the Autoparts website. You can also add an extra layer of security by adding anti-theft wheel bolts to prevent the theft of your alloy wheels.
Another useful tool is a steering lock – which is both a visual and functional deterrent. Not only will it deter them from trying to get in, but it also will also prevent them from turning the steering wheel, so they can’t drive away even if they tried. Get yourself a steering lock here.
You can add an extra layer of security by investing in a locking fuel cap, which will prevent you from becoming a victim of fuel theft. Browse our range here.
What if you’re towing a caravan? We have a wide range of tools that can keep both of your vehicles safe and secure. Whether it’s the aforementioned alko hitch lock, a coupling lock, or a simple lock and key, our Maypole range has you covered. What’s more, these highly visible tools are extremely effective in fending off unwanted and unwarranted interest in your vehicle.
Add a tracking device
A good-quality tracking device will go a long way in keeping your car safe. It won’t stop it being stolen, but it will help to recover it and return it to police. Many modern devices are easy to hide and come with an easy-to-use interface for setting up alerts and checking status.
Make it difficult for potential thieves
There are many ways you can make it difficult for thieves to steal your car – whether it’s by choosing a highly visible parking space that’s in view of the public, or parking near other drivers. You can also use some obstacles, such as wheel clamps or even a parking post.
A parking post is a brightly coloured, highly visible tool that will act both as a visual deterrent and as a protective barrier between your vehicle and the open street, or between your vehicle and the car park exit.
Perfectly portable, parking posts can be stored in the vehicle’s boot and then folded out and padlocked to fence in of your vehicle. What’s more, it’s suitable for trailer applications which are up to 500kg in static nose weight. Check it out our Maypole Parking post here.
Keep your documents at home
While it might be handy, you should always keep your logbook and service records at home or somewhere safe. If you do end up as the victim of a car theft and the thief gets a hold of your documents, it’s easier for them to sell it and perform identity fraud. Similarly, don’t leave letters, bank statements or any important documents in your car.
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