The number of cars stolen in the UK fell to a 48-year low in 2015, with an annual decrease of 1.2% to 69,547. But whilst car theft may be decreasing, it is still important for car owners to remain vigilant against thieves that are adopting new and sophisticated tactics to get hold of your car.
The industry is heavily focused on improving vehicle security and the statistics on car theft decreasing certainly show that these significant investments are paying off, but how else can we stay one step ahead of car thieves?
Did you know there are over 36 million cars on the road in the UK? It may not surprise you to learn that the most popular stolen cars are the higher end ones; it was reported recently that different models from Range Rover, BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz all appeared in the list of ten most stolen cars in 2015. But it’s not just those with high-end models that should be remaining vigilant against car theft.
Car thieves use sophisticated techniques
Whilst your car may have the latest technology, including immobilisers and alarms to try and prevent car theft, there are more ways you can and should protect your car. Thieves are becoming much more sophisticated, with new tactics and more ways to get around the security defences installed by your car company.
Car thieves have adopted a new tactic, nicknamed “Pinch and Park”, where after stealing a car they will then park it in a ‘safe location’, leaving it there for a few days to see if it will be recovered by the police using GPS tracking to locate the vehicle. In 2015, there was a 12% increase in the number of cars being recovered and returned to their owners due to an increase in people fitting GPS trackers to their vehicles.
A GPS tracking device can prevent your car disappearing
A report by the UK Home Office recently provided evidence showing how advanced technology used by car manufacturers, combined with an increase in tracking devices being installed by car owners, are helping to decrease car theft in the UK. However, keeping ahead of the technological curve is now more important than ever, as car thieves start to find their way around on-board security systems and are able to disable features which would prevent them from stealing your car.
Not only does installing a GPS tracking device give you peace of mind and security, knowing that you can view your vehicles location in real time; a tracking device can also reduce your insurance premiums, making it much more affordable, as well as being an excellent safety device for young, vulnerable drivers.
