This is Money spoke to a number of experts in the field of vehicle safety to compile a list of 13 tips that all car owners should follow to best protect their car.
We enlisted the help of Thatcham Research, AA President Edmund King and vehicle crime consultant Dr Ken German – former head of technology for the police stolen vehicle unit with a PhD in international vehicle crime – to compile the ultimate list of car safety tips:
1First, make sure your car is locked.
This may seem obvious, but a large proportion of thefts are due to the vehicle being left unlocked or criminals using jammers that block communication between your key fob and the car locks.
Drivers should always check that the vehicle is locked and the windows are rolled up after using a key fob. Listen for the locking sound, lights flashing and, if your car is equipped with them, automatic side mirrors folding.
2. Do not run your car engine to defrost the windows
In freezing temperatures, drivers may start the engine to defrost or defrost the windows and then retreat into the warm house until the windshield is clear again.
It may sound obvious, but an unattended vehicle poses a major safety risk, even if it is on your own private driveway. In fact, this is illegal and your insurer is unlikely to cover the damage if your car is stolen as a result.
Thieves look for stationary cars emitting exhaust fumes or cars whose wing mirrors are normally folded in when locked but are clearly not.
3. Keep valuables out of sight
“Out of sight, out of mind.” Remove all valuables from your vehicle to make it less attractive to opportunistic thieves.
4. Do you have an alarm system and immobilizer?
Make sure your vehicle is fitted with a Thatcham certified alarm, immobiliser and tracking system. Some insurance policies require the fitting of a tracking device, so it is important that any associated monitoring service subscriptions are maintained.
5. Mechanical security systems – such as a steering wheel lock – may seem old-fashioned, but they are a good deterrent
Steering wheel locks, gear shift chocks, wheel clamps and other conventional security systems can act as a strong visual deterrent to thieves.
6. Install a doorbell camera or video surveillance in your home
Doorbell cameras and video surveillance systems are becoming increasingly popular, both as a deterrent to car theft and for catching thieves.
Be sure to invest in a device with night vision mode and razor-sharp HD resolution.
Driveway lighting with motion detectors can also have a strong deterrent effect.
7. If you have a garage, use it!
If you have a garage, make sure there is enough space for your car and do not use the garage as a storage facility for household items.
If you own multiple vehicles, you should essentially give priority to the most valuable car in the garage – and park another car in front of the garage door for extra security.
And if you have an electric garage door, don’t keep the transponder inside the vehicle, for example in the glove compartment. Victims have later found out that this was the reason their property was broken into.
8. Consider where and how you will park overnight
Most car thefts happen in the dark, so now is the time to think especially about how secure your vehicle is.
If you don’t have a garage but have a driveway, always park tactically.
For example, if you have a large driveway, park the car sideways so any thief will have to maneuver it. If your driveway is smaller, park facing your house so you’re more likely to be noticed when the lights come on. And park with full steering so thieves have more time to escape. Even consider parking another, less desirable car in front of (or behind) your vehicle to prevent it from being easily stolen.
If you have a driveway, you can also buy lockable barriers to restrict access. Experts point out that a car cover often has a deterrent effect because it is time-consuming to remove and it looks suspicious to neighbors and passers-by.
If you don’t have off-street parking, try to park your car in a well-lit area – ideally with video surveillance – and in a spot where it will be difficult for a thief to move quickly.
Ken German tells us that some drivers are particularly inventive when it comes to protecting their cars. Some previous victims leave mannequins in the driver’s seat to deter unwanted visitors.
9. Check the accreditation of repair centers and body shops to avoid key cloning
If you have to leave your keys at a garage or body shop, you should check whether they adhere to a recognised code of practice or professional standard, such as the Motor Ombudsman or the British Parking Association’s Park Mark scheme.
This will reduce the risk of becoming a victim of key cloning.
Even if you purchased your vehicle used and only have one working key, you should contact an authorized repair shop as soon as possible to have the missing key(s) removed and a spare key added.
10. Consider a dashcam or a car with an anti-theft alarm
Dashcams have become increasingly popular in recent years. Drivers use them primarily to prove that they were not at fault in an accident.
They also serve as an excellent theft deterrent, as many of these devices also record suspicious activity around your parked car when you are not in it.
However, make sure you buy a device that uploads videos to cloud storage and not just stores them on a memory stick in the dashcam – because you will lose that too if your car is stolen.
Some modern vehicles now have a “parking mode” that can detect and record movements even when parked. This can be used as evidence by your insurer and the police.
Many of these alerts are delivered through a smartphone app, so make sure you have the feature enabled and notifications turned on.
11. Always delete stored information from a car before selling it
Some vehicle apps and connected systems can grant access to the previous owner.
If permissions remain active, make sure that all permissions and data associated with the previous owner are deleted.
12. Locust thieves may strike twice
Nowadays, there is a new wave of “locust thieves” who rob cars while they are parked on the side of the road or even in front of the owners’ houses.
Many people woke up to find that their cars were missing wheels, hoods, grilles and even doors, making them undrivable. That’s because these parts have become more valuable since the pandemic, as factory closures and outages mean that some components are no longer as readily available from manufacturers as they were pre-Covid.
For example, a Porsche headlight can now be worth up to £1,000, which has led to an increase in thefts of these parts. Wing mirrors on top-of-the-range cars are also easily stolen, high-value components.
Ken German warns that locust thieves may not be the end of the story. He recommends that owners who have had parts stolen from their car should check the area around and under the vehicle to make sure thieves have not installed a tracking device that can track when the engine is not in use and return at a later date and try to steal it.
13. Be aware of the scam tactics used to steal cars
Although car thefts still occur today, they are not as widespread in the UK as in some other countries, such as South Africa.
That said, if you own a high-value vehicle, it is advisable to drive with the doors locked in traffic.
Also, drive defensively when in a line and leave enough space in front of you so that you can get out of a tight gap if necessary.
If your vehicle is hit from behind, wait until you stop and find a safe place where people are present. If you are suspicious, do not unlock the door and call the police.
