On the 4th December 2019, West Yorkshire Police noted an increase in Theft Of Motor Vehicles, in rural areas of Kirklees.
There are two big purchases that most will invest in during the course of their lifetime; a house and a vehicle, and if either one gets damaged, completely destroyed, or taken it can be costly for the owner to repair or replace.
So, as vehicle crime is on the rise in Kirklees, what protective measures can be put in place to minimise the chances of getting a vehicle stolen? Let’s take a look.
Park in a secure place, if possible
If you have a garage or locked off area that’s available for you to use, then use it. Nothing is safer than when It’s locked away. If you can’t lock it away, then make sure the area you park is visible. The best way to ensure this is to install good CCTV, so you have 24hr remote visibility, and recordings of any criminal attempts.
Keep the area well lit
This advice is good to take, even if you do park in a garage. By keeping the parking area flooded with light, you increase the chances of would-be-criminals passing up on the opportunity to go through with the crime, out of fear of being seen. It sounds simple and quite obvious, but ignorance often blinds people to switch the lights on. So if you have them, use them. This tip also applies to park in public spaces. An empty back road may be tempting to park on, and it may enable you to dodge the parking madness, but is it worth taking the risk?
Close your security gates
If you have got them, use them to protect your vehicle when it is parked at home. When you are out and about, close them behind you again to secure your property and protect two assets with one tip.
Lock your vehicle
This is another obvious tip, but it’s often overlooked. Keep your vehicle doors locked when you’re not in there. Most modern cars now have an automatic locking system in place, but they still have a window of time where any up-to-no-good onlookers can intervene. Similarly, it’s always a good safety precaution to lock your doors when you are in the car also to prevent any attempt of a hijack.
Hide your keys from sight
Don’t be walking around with your car keys flinging around. This will only draw attention to the fact that you have a car, and you could be susceptible to a mugging for your car keys. Also, don’t be leaving your keys in plain view when you reach your destination, and keep them away from any windows and doors. It’s always a good idea to get into the habit of putting your keys in a secure place, that you keep the location of on the down-low.
Don’t leave your car running unattended
On a cold and frosty morning, it may be very tempting to nip out, put the car on defrost and nip back in to finish your brew. But don’t. Not only is it a complete security risk, but it’s also a complete waste of your vehicle’s energy, as often it doesn’t take as long as you’d think to defrost.
The aim of providing these tips isn’t to scare anybody. It’s to alert people, and to remind them to be vigilant, and smart when it comes to protecting what matters most; you and your assets.
