Car Security
Avoid being a victim of car crime
Vehicle crime has been falling steadily since its peak in the early 1990's but it remains a problem – According to the British Crime Survey there were 1,514,000 vehicle related thefts (theft of, theft from and attempted theft) in 2008/9*.
Vehicle crime reported to the police has fallen by 45% since 2002/3 but there are some new types of vehicle crime that are bucking this downward trend.
Key theft
It's almost impossible to steal a modern car without first obtaining the keys so it might not be too much of a surprise that, according to the Home Office, 7% of home burglaries in 2008/9 involved the taking of a vehicle using keys stolen from the home.
Over 19,400 cars were stolen in this way, more than 1,600 per month: a 19% increase over the previous year.
Our own insurance claims statistics show a similar trend with an average value of cars taken using stolen keys just over £10,000 – which underlines the increasing determination, patience and ingenuity of thieves targeting up-market cars, even though the total number of cars stolen is falling.
More about burglary/key theft »
Number plate theft
If your number plate theft are stolen contact the Police immediately. It may seem trivial at the time but if the plates are used to change the identity of another car you can expect to start receiving penalty charges for parking, speeding, congestion charging and so on. You may even be suspected of committing crimes yourself.
Satellite navigation theft
If you use portable satellite navigation equipment, take it with you whenever you leave the car.
Remove the cradle and suction pads and clean any marks left on the windscreen or dashboard too as thieves are known to look for these telltale signs and break in anyway, expecting to find the Sat Nav tucked away in the glove compartment.
Catalytic converter theft
In 2008 the credit crunch and high market value of platinum combined to create a new type of vehicle crime – theft of catalytic converters to recover the parts and precious metals they contain. With money still tight and platinum prices rising again, catalytic converter theft is on the increase again.
Taller vehicles (4x4s) are particularly vulnerable as the converters are more accessible and, because they tend to have larger engines, they contain more of the precious metals too.
Car buying Scams
The Metropolitan Police have recently highlighted the 'virtual vehicle' scam which involves fake shipping websites that promise to handle and look after your money.
Once you respond and express interest in buying the car being advertised which is currently located abroad, you are directed to a fake website for a shipping company that will handle the transfer of funds including shipping costs.
Watch out too for Vehicle matching scams which work by approaching consumers who are selling their cars and promising falsely to match them with 'definite buyers' – consumers lose nearly £3 million a year according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
Read more about car buying scams »
Vehicle Security Advice
- Reducing Risk - a summary of AA tips to protect your property
- Alarms and Immobilisers - what to look for
- Keys - there's more to them than meets the eye
- Enhanced Protection Glazing - combatting 'smash & grab'
- Safer Parking Scheme - reducing crime in car parks
- Theft Resistant Number Plates - helping to combat cloning
- Caravan Registration & Security - around 4000 are stolen every year
Security Award Winners
The British Insurance Car Security Awards were established in 2004 to recognise those manufacturers who have produced the most secure cars, and to raise awareness of what is best in vehicle security.
The awards are based on the New Vehicle Security Ratings (NVSR) scheme using selection criteria and a methodology developed jointly by the AA, Department for Transport, Home Office and Thatcham, and are backed by the British motor insurers and other organisations interested in improving vehicle security.
- Older cars are generally much easier to steal than newer models.
- Cars built before 1996 are at high risk of theft.
- Cars built after 1996 are low theft risk.
- Those built after 1999 are very low risk.
- However, the theft of prestige models is rising – because professional criminals are targeting keys through burglary and other methods.
21 July 2010
* most recent year for which figures are available