Stop Thieves Stealing Presents From Your Car This Christmas

WITH the festive season upon us, thieves will be particularly keen to spot cars with Christmas shopping in them.

Police are advising everyone not to leave their shopping on view in their car as this is exactly what local thieves will be hoping for.

Much car crime is preventable. Follow these tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of car crime, and make sure it?s the criminals who don?t have a good Christmas.

? Boots: Don?t leave valuable items anywhere in your car, but if you are going to put them in the boot, do it before you arrive at your destination; any offenders lurking around are less likely to target your car if they don?t witness you hiding items in it.

? Keys: Don?t place your car keys near the letter box of your house; keep them out of sight and out of reach.

? Stereos: Remove your car stereo when leaving your vehicle. All new stereo units have this feature and many car manufacturers now include similar security. Take the fascia with you; don?t just put it in the glove compartment!

? Laptops: It?s a dangerous tactic to leave your laptop in the boot but if you must, turn it off fully- not just to hibernate- and make sure it is password protected.

? Handbags and gladrags: Empty handbags may not contain anything, but a potential thief doesn?t know this, and may still target your car. Remove from view anything that could be of value, such as coats, wallets, mobile phones and even golf clubs!

? Christmas shopping: Try to do all of your shopping before putting it in the car, so that you don?t have to leave it unattended.

? Parking: Try and park your car in a well lit area where there may be some people and traffic nearby. When leaving the car, check your surroundings. Are there people just hanging around, looking suspicious? If there is, park somewhere else.

? Pubs: If you are stopping off at the pub to meet friends, always follow the advice already given. While you?re making a toast inside, thieves could be making off with your valuables outside. Always be vigilant.

? Mark your Property: Maintain a log of the serial numbers of your electronic items, and mark them with your postcode and house number using a UV pen. You can pick these up for free from your local police station.

Need more info? Contact your local crime reduction advisor on 0845 8 505 505.