Drivers given tip to secure car as 290k stolen | Tech News

A motoring knowledgeable has urged all drivers to do three issues to keep their car secure from thieves as a new examine discovered that 40 p.c of criminals steal automobiles with one system. As the Government lastly declares a crackdown on signal-jammers, a new examine by the GAP insurance coverage and breakdown cowl supplier ALA has discovered that 290,000 automobiles in England and Wales had been stolen due to the controversial units within the 12 months ending September 2024.

Whilst the units are widespread, Dawn Cranmer from ALA Insurance highlighted that there are numerous methods motorists could make it more troublesome for thieves to drive away of their car. She defined: “Understandably, people are worried about the rise in remote vehicle thefts. However, there are simple steps that can be taken to protect your car from thieves. To protect your vehicle from signal jamming and relay attacks, consider the following preventative measures.”

According to ALA Insurance, one of the simplest methods to make a car more troublesome to steal is by turning off the keyless entry system that may be discovered on most trendy vehicles.

Typically finished through the vehicle’s infotainment touchscreen, turning off this characteristic could make it a lot tougher for criminals to intercept the indicators between the car and the important thing fob – usually rendering a signal jammer ineffective.

Drivers who nonetheless need to benefit from the comfort of a keyless security system might additionally put their keys in a Faraday pouch when they aren’t in use, with the metal-lined pocket additionally blocking the signal.

Another manner drivers can keep their vehicle secure is by shopping for a quantity of security units, such as wheel clamps and steering locks.

Despite being seen as moderately unsophisticated methods of conserving a car secure, having been round because the Fifties and 60s, and being accessible for notably low costs, these units are one of the strongest thief deterrents.

This is essentially as a result of they’re designed to take a appreciable quantity of time and energy to take away with out the appropriate key – vastly rising the probability of thieves getting caught.

Finally, ALA Insurance steered that drivers get their car fitted with a GPS monitoring system, which generally value between £20 and £200, relying on their design and capabilities.

Whilst these units don’t make it more troublesome for thieves to steal a car, having a tracker hidden within the depths of the dashboard could make it considerably simpler for victims to discover their vehicle.

During 2024 alone, police forces had been in a position to uncover 60 ‘chop store’ garages, utilized by criminals to dismantle stolen automobiles, due to vehicles fitted with GPS trackers – with 179 fashions reunited with their rightful house owners.