Crime Prevention Tip: Protect Your Valuables and Keep Your Vehicle Secure

Due to a recent theft of a vehicle from the Cwmbwrla 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.