Vehicle security

We advise you;

• ensure all doors, windows and sunroofs are closed and locked when leaving your vehicle unattended
• always take the keys out of the ignition, even if you’re only leaving your car for a moment
• don’t leave your keys lying around or visible on a windowsill at home or near a front door, where they could be hooked through the letterbox
• never leave valuables in your vehicle and keep any other possessions out of sight. Remove your sat nav and its holder and wipe away any window suction marks as these could indicate a sat nav is stored in your vehicle
• if you use a vehicle for maintenance purposes, it is advisable not to leave tools or other working materials in a vehicle unoccupied or overnight, as works vehicles such as vans are commonly targeted by criminals
• never leave vehicle documents in your car, as this would make it easy for a thief to sell your car or provide a cover story if stopped by the police
• use an approved steering lock or gear clamp and remember to set the immobiliser or alarm on your vehicle, if it has them
• consider having anti-theft screws fitted to your number plates to prevent them from being stolen and used on another vehicle
• if advertising your vehicle for sale via an auction style website, ensure its number plates are blocked out in any images you share to avoid others cloning its identity 
• fit a dual band tracking device that works on both VHF or UHF frequencies and GPS signals to ensure that one tracking system will still function if criminals use GPS blocking techniques to avoid detection. Vehicles with a tracking device are often promptly recovered
• when using a sat nav, protect your home by not using your actual home postcode in your sat nav or storing your postcode as 'home', to avoid thieves knowing your home address if your vehicle and sat nav are ever stolen.
• a member of the Master Locksmiths Association (opens in new window) can also help with vehicle keys and locks