It's easy to take the safety of your car for granted and leave tempting valuables in full view or be careless where you park. Car thieves are operating in Redbridge and it can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car, however most vehicle crime is preventable and there are a variety of simple steps that you can take to make sure that you don’t become a victim of car crime.
Park it
Park your car in a busy, well-lit area or in a secure car park if possible.
Take it
Take all valuables out of your car before thieves get a chance to.
Lock it
Close the windows and sunroof; lock the doors and activate any security devices.
Extra steps you can take
Car security starts at home
Criminals break into homes to steal car keys or can fish for them through letterboxes. Never leave your keys where they can be seen from the front door and make sure you have sound home security.
Invest in security devices
Steering locks, engine immobilisers and alarms all help prevent you becoming a victim of car crime. Locking wheel nuts are cheap, easy to fit and stop thieves from stealing your wheels. Consider fitting you car with a vehicle tracker which will allow the police to track its location.
Mark your equipment
Mark belongings such as Sat Navs with your house number & postcode and have windows and windscreens etched with your registration number or the last seven digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Look out for the park mark
Some car parks have been awarded The Safer Parking Award. This means that the car park has passed a police assessment and put in place measures that help to deter criminal activity. For more information
visit Park Mark.
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