Vehicle theft remains a significant concern across the UK, with thieves and opportunists carrying out sophisticated methods to exploit vehicle owners. At Herts Security Systems, we are committed to helping you safeguard your vehicle. This blog will outline and help you understand current threats and how to implement effective security measures, to help you significantly reduce the risk of theft.
Understanding Modern Vehicle Theft Techniques
Keyless Car Theft: More and more commonly we are seeing thieves use devices to capture and transmit signals from keyless entry systems, allowing them to unlock and start vehicles remotely. This process can take as little as 30 seconds. The scary thing about this method is that opportunists only need to be a few meters away from your car to have this work.
What you can do:
Use a steering wheel lock or car alarm
Put your keys in a signal blocking bag / wallet
Keep all keys away from car, doors and windows
If you have a garage, park your car away overnight.
Signal Jamming: Criminals employ “signal jammers” to interfere with the communication between your car key and vehicle, preventing doors from locking and leaving your car vulnerable. These jammers work by blocking the signal between your key and the car’s locking system, making it seem like you've successfully locked your vehicle when the doors actually remain unlocked.
What you can do:
Always double-check manually. Make it a habit to physically pull the door handle to ensure it is locked before walking away.
Listen for the confirmation beep. If your car normally makes a sound when locking, make sure you hear it.
Be sure to park in secure areas or make your drive-way secure. Well-lit, CCTV-monitored locations will reduce the risk and temptation of theft.
Car Cannibalism: This involves stripping vehicles of valuable parts, such as bonnets, bumpers, headlights, and catalytic converters, often to sell in illegal markets. Thieves typically target high-demand parts that can be removed quickly, leaving owners with expensive repair bills and insurance claims.
What you can do:
Always Lock and Secure Your Vehicle – make sure to cover all entry points including any sunroofs, whether you are home or parked outside a shop.
Park your car strategically
Install visible deterrents such as alarms or even motion sensor lights to act as a deterrent on your property or business.
Additional preventative measures you can follow:
Lock your Vehicle
It may seem obvious, but many of us forget to lock our vehicles, even when stopping to fill up or parking at home. An unlocked car is an open invitation to thieves.
Always double-check that all windows and sunroofs are closed, as even a small gap can be exploited. If your car’s wing mirrors fold in when locked, make sure they do - criminals often look for mirrors left out as a sign the vehicle is unlocked.
Never leave your vehicle running unattended, even briefly. Warming up your car on cold mornings might seem convenient, but it’s illegal. If stolen, your insurer won’t cover the loss.
Illegal Tow Trucks
Confident thieves sometimes attempt to steal vehicles by towing them away. If you see a tow truck acting suspiciously - especially one without branding or uniformed operators - report it immediately.
If your concern turns out to be untrue, don’t worry, it is better to be safe than sorry.
At Herts Security Systems, we offer a range of products and services designed to enhance your vehicle's security. Through our trusted partner, Pyronix, we have access to various solutions such as the CarDefender which is a solution for vehicle theft detection – it can be used as both a visual, secure deterrent. In addition to the above, we support customers through various other means of theft prevention such as CCTV, motion alarms and sensors and more.
Protecting your vehicle requires a proactive approach. By implementing these strategies and leveraging our expertise, you can significantly reduce the risk of vehicle theft.
For more information on our products and services, please contact us today on 01442 383169.