I’m a security expert – here are FIVE ways your car is easy prey for burglars and how to stop them
LOCKSMITHS have revealed five ways YOUR car is easy prey for burglars.
Keys left in plain sight, lost fobs and lack of old-school anti-theft devices are all mistakes made by Brits who fall victim to car theft.
And vehicles left in plain sight - such as on a busy road - or in unlocked storage devices also makes it easier for crooks to make their move.
Home security expert Elizabeth Johns has warned Brits that high-value cars are a "priority on thieves' lists".
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Elizabeth - company director at locksmith L&E Ltd - said: "It's quick and easy to potentially get a set of keys and drive away, rather than taking lots of small value items from a house."
She said keeping keys away from windows - therefore out of sight of thieves who want to chance it - is a key deterrent.
"If they managed to get into the house, it's a quick in and out. Get the car then off the driveway.
"So any sets of keys that you've got, always keep out of plain sight. Even during the daytime."
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Another way thieves can target your car is if your fob is lost.
If your car has a remote unlocking feature on a fob - or an automatic keyless entry device - Elizabeth recommends getting the remote receiver in the car wiped so a whole new set of keys can be cut.
She said drivers should also get their spare key replaced.
The locksmith added: "We work with auto-locksmiths. Generally, if a driver has lost their car keys or their car keys are broken we do have lot of keys for that.
"But also, we do new keys for cars that have been stolen. Or even for keys that have been stolen.
"So if a car key has been stolen but the car is still there, we can erase the car key that's been stolen from the CPU of the car and then reprogram another key.
"So even if they came back with that key, they wouldn't be able to start the car with that.
"If you ever lose your car keys, it's always a good idea to get the other one that's been lost erased from that car."
HIGHWAY ROBBERY
Other tactics which Elizabeth says are often overlooked involve old-school anti-theft devices.
She said: "A lot of people don't really think of the older methods that we use to keep your car safe.
"So things like steering wheel locks or lockable posts that you can put in front of the cars.
"Those methods are good to deter thieves because if they see anything like that, they probably won't even attempt to find the keys."
Other tactics include keeping cars off the road - such as in a garage or on a drive - and making sure both are locked.
Elizabeth said: "Nowadays we generally don't see many people put their cars in garages.
"They normally use them for storage and things like that.
"Putting it in a garage means it's out of sight. So they don't know what car you've got. They don't know if you've got a car.
"And having to get into that garage first to even find out if if you've got a car [is another deterrent].
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"So if you do have one, I would definitely utilize that.
"If you can keep it off a main road or anything like that - anything to make it more difficult for them to take that, that's always the advice that I would give."