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Due to a recent rise in theft from vehicles in the Manselton area please see below some advice to make it harder for car thieves.
Securing your vehicle requires a combination of physical locking, electronic key protection, and keeping the cabin completely empty. Opportunistic thieves can break into a vehicle or drive it away in a matter of seconds, but taking layered precautions will drastically reduce your risk of being targeted.
Here is the essential breakdown of vehicle and valuable protection.
🔒 Prevent Vehicle Theft
• Lock every door: Lock the car even when pumping fuel or stepping away for a moment.
• Watch for flashes: Wait to see the hazard lights flash to confirm the signal went through.
• Block signal jammers: Check the door handles physically to ensure a jammer did not interrupt your key fob.
• Protect smart keys: Store wireless key fobs in a signal-blocking Faraday pouch at home.
• Keep keys hidden: Avoid leaving car keys near windows, front doors, or visible countertops.
• Use physical locks: Fit a high-visibility steering wheel lock or pedal box clamp.
• Secure the OBD port: Install a physical lock over your On-Board Diagnostics port to prevent key cloning.
• Never leave it running: Avoid leaving the engine running while de-icing windows or popping into a shop.
👁️ Protect Your Valuables
• Leave it empty: Take phones, wallets, cash, purses, and shopping bags with you.
• Wipe the glass: Clean off suction cup marks left on the windshield by phone mounts or GPS units.
• Hide all cables: Tuck away charging cords that hint at electronics hidden inside the car.
• Secure external storage: Use padlocks or cable locks on roof boxes, racks, and tool chests.
• Take your papers: Keep the vehicle logbook and ownership documents at home, not in the glovebox.
• Seal the gaps: Roll windows and sunroofs completely up to stop "fishing" tools.
💡 Parking & Environment
• Seek bright spaces: Park in well-lit, busy areas covered by CCTV whenever possible.
• Check for credentials: Look for managed car parks that have earned official security marks, like the PARK MARK scheme.
• Turn the wheels: Angle your wheels toward the curb when parking to make towing much harder.
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