We can often see car thieves and car key burglars using the cover of night to carry out their crimes, but a few small steps can help stop them in their tracks.

By taking a few crime prevention measures motorists can help prevent themselves from being a victim of crime.

West Mercia Police is committed to tackling vehicle crime and has the following advice to protect your cars, motorbikes and vans from being stolen: -

Do you have a security light/doorbell camera?
• Having a security light gives you an extra layer of protection. Security lights give the impression someone is in and removes the element of darkness.
• Installing a doorbell camera or security camera on your driveway can help to deter criminals too and many products are much less expensive than you may think.

Lock your windows

• Make sure your windows are securely locked. As with your doors, check that your window locks are of a good standard to prevent car key burglars.

Get a steering wheel disc lock

• Steering wheel disc locks are a good deterrent to would-be thieves as they delay the amount of time it takes to steal a vehicle.

If possible, secure your vehicle out of sight in a garage

• If you have a garage, parking your vehicle out of sight in there with a securely locked door keeps it out of sight of criminals and much harder to steal.

Put your keys in a ‘Faraday’ pouch

• Place your keyless entry fobs in a “Faraday pouch” to prevent relay theft where thieves boost the signal from the car to the key fob to gain access.

Install a tracker to your vehicle

• Installing a GPS tracker or mobile phone tagging device to your car will enable its location to be tracked by police. Your insurance company can advise you on suitable products.

Fit a foldable bollard to your driveway

• This may be a more expensive option, but it is a wise investment to prevent vehicles being driven off, particularly if you have a high value one on your driveway.

Remember thieves can often look to target owners of high value and/or high-performance vehicles, any crime prevention measures taken can help reduce the chances of being targeted.