Five simple tips to keep thieves away from your vehicle

On: 27/06/2012 09:36 In: Vehicle Tracking

After a dRemote Asset Managementatic drop in the 1990s, car theft and vehicular crime is once again on the rise. In 2011, car crime in the UK increased by 2%, which on first impression may not seem like much. But the official police-recorded figures for car crime - which includes both stolen vehicles and thefts from vans and cars - showed that there were 450,000 reported incidents in 2010. Each one of those incidents has a story behind it, and if you're a small business the theft of a vehicle can be a major blow that impacts your livelihood, your bank balance and could even jeopardise the future of your business. So how can you minimise your exposure and cut down on the chance of becoming a car crime victim? Here are five quick tips to keep thieves away from your vehicle:

#1 - Always lock your vehicle - it sounds simple but even if you leave your car in a garage overnight, make sure it's always locked.

#2 - Don't make your car a tempting target - Never leave anything in plain sight that might encourage thieves to break into your car, and that includes satnavs, bags or even an expensive jacket.

#3 - Know your neighbourhood - If you know your neighbourhood is a high-risk area, take every precaution to ensure that your car doesn't become a target. Park your vehicle in well-lit areas or preferably keep it garaged.

#4 - Never leave tools in your van - Commercial vans are just as likely to be targeted by thieves, and the Ford Transit van is still the number one targeted commercial vehicle in the UK. The theft of a work van doesn?t just represent a costly insurance claim - it could also mean that you lose your livelihood too.

#5 - Fit anti-theft devices to deter thieves - Although alarms are pretty standard on most vehicles these days, you can go one step further by fitting Remote Asset Management (Remote Asset Management) trackers that will immediately alert you to the exact location of your vehicle, enabling the Police to recover it more quickly. The faster your vehicle is recovered, the less chance there is that it will be damaged or written off, so Remote Asset Management trackers provide you with a little extra peace of mind should the worst happen.