Protecting Your Car from Theft in London
As the capital and the biggest city in the UK it is no surprise that London is a hotspot for car theft. Unfortunately all 10 of the car theft hotspots in the UK are London boroughs, with Lambeth taking hotspot, followed by affluent Kensington and Chelsea. To have your car stolen is a distressing and sometimes disturbing situation. Modern day thieves will now take even more risks to get away with our beloved vehicles, entering property and driving away with vehicles in broad daylight. Despite a drop in figures of vehicle theft over lockdown last April, cases of vehicle theft have already begun to rise again across the UK, with no where worse than London for rates of vehicle theft. With some guidance from the Met Police, here are some really useful tips to protecting your car from theft in London.
Always lock your car
This seems like a given when leaving you car overnight or for the day, but many people will often assume it is okay to leave the car unlocked for a few minutes to pop into the house to get something. No matter how long you are leaving your car, the doors should always be locked when left unattended. Car thieves today are extremely fast and could get away with your vehicle within a matter of minutes.
Close your windows
Don’t make it any easier for thieves to access your vehicle. No matter how warm it is, leaving your windows or sunroof open will provide an opportunity for thieves to access your vehicle without causing external damage. Many thieves have also been known to use open windows and sunroofs to ‘fish’ for goods within vehicles.
Park your car in secure parking areas
Many will know parking is hard to come by in London. When leaving your car unattended it is very important you leave it in a secure area. The Met Police suggest using Park Mark to find safe and secure parking across the city. These car parks have approved Park Mark safer parking certification. If this is not an option, look for well-lit areas or car parks attended by staff.
Free installation of Car Trackers
For additional peace of a mind a car tracker will monitor the location of your vehicle 24/7 using GPS technology. You will be able to access this data on your smartphone as you leave your vehicle unattended. An alert will be sent when the tracker picks up suspicious movement of the vehicle. This information can then be used to report a stolen vehicle to the police. Giving them a much higher chance of retrieving your vehicle.
At FitMyTracker, our experienced engineers can install one of our car trackers discreetly and for free! Get in touch today to find out more or take a look at our range of car trackers. For London based enquiries, give us a call on 0203 817 9010.