Lock your vehicle

Locking your vehicle, even when filling up or parked on your drive, greatly reduces the possibility of it being targeted by an opportunist thief. Even if you have locked your vehicle, check you haven’t left any windows or the sunroof open. If your vehicle has wing mirrors that fold in automatically when locked, make sure you lock it properly. Criminal gangs are looking for vehicles like these where the wing mirrors are still out because it is clear to them that the vehicle has been left unlocked.

Keep the keys safe

Keep your keys safe and out of view when at home, and away from your front door. 

If you're selling your car and you meet up with a potential buyer, do not allow the keys out of your sight. Your keys may be cloned by thieves and used later to steal your vehicle.

For cars with keyless entry - 

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry.

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition.

Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car. Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months. You can turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used, you can find plenty of videos on YouTube explaining how to do this for your make and model.

Park responsibly

It’s always advisable to avoid parking in dark and secluded areas. It’s worth an extra five or ten-minute walk if it means your vehicle is left in a well-lit and busier street.

Double-Check electronic locking

Electronic devices can be used to jam the electronic signal from your key fob to lock your vehicle. Always manually check your vehicle has locked before walking away.

If unsure, lock it manually, then scan the immediate area for anyone hanging around. If a potential thief who’s watching feels they’ve been spotted, they’ll probably move off.

Fit good in-car security locks

Additional physical security can help to prevent your vehicle being driven away even if a thief gains entry. There are a range of security rated products that can help, such as steering wheel locks, pedal boxes and gear stick locks.

It's also worth speaking to your vehicle dealership about installing an aftermarket immobiliser approved by the manufacturer.

Immobilisers prevent a vehicle from starting unless the correct fob, key or activation process is used. They can be personalised so that you're the only one who knows how to unset it via a number of dashboard controls.