TARGETED ATTACK
Having a messy interior or parking with straight wheels could be putting your car at risk of theft – here’s how to keep your motor safe
Motorists could be inadvertently putting their vehicle at risk as the rate of car theft rises
THE rate of car theft is on the rise in the UK, with crooks now able to take your motor in as little as six seconds by attacking keyless entry systems.
And motorists could be inadvertently putting their vehicle at risk, with one motor stolen somewhere in the country every six minutes.
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A recent study conducted by Halfords revealed some of the most common mistakes drivers make which increase their chance of being targeted by car thieves.
And it could be as simple as checking your car is locked in the first place.
Despite the rise in vehicle crime, as many as one in five drivers don't take any security precautions with their car at all.
Some 43 per cent of motorists don't pull their door handle to check they've locked their car before walking away, while the same amount leave ownership documents in their vehicle, giving thieves access to crucial info.
Common mistakes putting your motor at risk of theft - here's how to keep it safe
Former offender turned security expert Michael Fraser explains how you could be making your car a target for thieves:
- Relying on your car’s security system: “If you have bought a new car, you might think it comes with a security system which will protect your car but many motors are quite vulnerable to theft; using a visual deterrent like a steering wheel lock which looks like a big strong dustbin lid that covers your entire steering wheel will put them off.”
- Parking with straight wheels: “Most people straighten up their wheels when parking, making it easy for thieves to drive away quickly. By parking your car with the wheels turned into the kerb, thieves will have to make more manoeuvres to drive off. Parking in a row of cars or facing a wall will also deter criminals.”
- Failing to hide key fob: “Many car owners believe that locking their keys in a drawer or placing them out of sight in a secure home is enough to protect their vehicles but criminals can use devices that relay the signal from keys and unlock devices remotely. Keep your keys at least 20m away from any doors, criminals can’t pick up a signal. You can also use an RFID Wallets which provide a casing for your keys.”
- Leaving a mess in your motor: “One of the biggest mistakes that car owners make is leaving rubbish and mess lying around. When a criminal walks past they will see this as an opportunity to find something valuable. Keeping valuables out of sight and tidying away any rubbish is an effective way to deter criminals.
- Not using a dash cam with surveillance mode: “All dash cams are designed to record your drive, but some dashboard cameras can also monitor your car when you are not there. It is a very useful feature to guard against any would-be thieves or if you are worried about any potential vandalism on your car.”
- Michael also noted leaving ownership documents in the car and failing to check the door is actually locked are other common mistakes drivers make.
And almost half of Brits don't bother hiding their keys in their home to protect against targeted break-ins - with just five per cent using a signal blocking wallet.
Newer cars with keyless entry systems could actually be easier to break into than older vehicles, but over half of motorists think new technology keeps their vehicle safe.
The misconception leads 23 per cent of drivers to believe leaving their key fob out on a kitchen worktop is perfectly safe, making them a potential target for criminals using signal relay devices.
The survey also found BMW owners are most likely to become victims of car crime, while Fiat drivers are least at risk.
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Halfords has teamed up with former burglar turned security expert, Michael Fraser, to offer tips on how motorists can keep their car safe.
Michael Fraser said: “Car theft is usually an opportunistic crime. Thieves are looking to take advantage of any obvious weakness in your car’s security.
"Anything you can do to secure your car, and make it less vulnerable to theft is a really good thing.”
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Pavan Sondhi, Halfords’ car security expert, said: “New in-car security systems can only do so much to prevent a car being stolen.
"From our research it seems that many anti-theft systems can be easily bypassed and using a simple device like an RFID wallet can prevent your fob being hacked for a small amount of money.
"We’ve seen sales of these soar by four times in the last few weeks, while classic old school steel steering locks also remain an extremely effective – and visual – way of deterring thieves, and we’ve recently seen a huge increase in sales of these too.
“You should park your car in a garage with an alarm system and CCTV or you can make sure the area around your car or garage is well lit.”