Vehicle Security Advice.

- WARNING - Catalytic Converter theft is on the rise again in Coventry. Please try and ensure you park your car in a well lit place, and if at home, inside a locked garage if you have one. Always make sure your vehicle is locked (and alarmed) and consider attaching a guard to the underside of your vehicle to help prevent theft. Finally, there are kits availble to securely mark your Catalytic Converter so that it may be identified in the event of its recovery.

- CAUTION - The theft of vehicles with keyless entry is also on the increase! Thieves hold an electronic device against your front door or window, then another device is held against your car. These devices (called 'relay boxes') pick up the faint signal from your car keys inside your house then transmit the signal to the device being held to your vehicle. Seconds later they drive your vehicle away! Watch the video HERE

There are several ways to combat this type of theft, the main ones being to keep your keys in a sheilded wallet (available online) and always use a Thatcham Approved steering lock.

- Do not leave car keys on a hook or shelf close to the front door. Many vehicles are stolen because their keys are hooked through the letterbox or picked up with a magnet taped to the end of a stick!

- Fit a driveway alarm (maybe with a sensor either side of your vehicle) Switched on overnight it would warn if someone attempts to open your car doors - or approaches your house. Many, like the one on the right, only cost around twenty pounds.

- Do not leave anything on display in your vehicle. If you must leave bags or shopping in your car lock it away in the boot but remember to ALWAYS remove them overnight. Please bear in mind that even a 10 year-old gym bag behind your drivers seat does not look like a 10 year-old gym bag in the dark at 03:00am in the morning!

- Remember to remove your SatNav before leaving your vehicle AND to clean the tell-tale sucker mark off the windscreen!

- Consider leaving your glove-box open to show you have nothing in there.

- Always remember to actually lock your car before you leave it. You would be surprised how many people forget.

- Fit a Thatcham Approved steering wheel lock when you leave the vehicle - and ALWAYS use it. Then even if thieves manage to get into your car, it presents a formidable obstacle to prevent them just driving it away.

- When leaving your vehicle, try and park in a well lit area.

- While travelling, remember to lock your vehicles doors and place any bags on the floor or in the boot - rather than on the passenger seat. This helps to prevent someone reaching in and grabbing your bag whilst your vehicle is stationary.

- If your vehicle has keyless entry, try and keep your keys in a shielded wallet (available on-line). This will prevent the signal from keys being picked up outside your house and used to unlock and start your vehicle. (known as 'relay theft')
However the woven metalic mesh used to line these pouches does tend to wear after a relatively short period of use. Remember to test the pouch occasionally to ensure it remains effective!

- If you drive a van, especially if you have to leave tools inside at night, it could pay dividends to have it professionally lined with marine-grade ply to add a further barrier to any intrusion attempt. ALSO consider fitting a padlocked Tool Vault or safe, in which to store your tools.

- If you have a high value vehicle (or a van) - consider having a Thatcham Approved tracking device (or vehicle disabler) fitted.
With the recent surge in theft of tools from vans, here is some excellent advice from Warwickshire Police...



- Register any bicycles in the family at both www.bikeregister.com and Immobilise.com

- More information is available on the WMP Vehicle Crime leaflet.