Every now and then a news item comes by about car theft containing a list of the most stolen brands and types. Unfortunately for Volkswagen drivers, their brand is at the top, but it is equally astonishing that Toyota occupies second place in this list of brands. How do you prevent the theft of your car?
It must be a very strange experience when you open the curtains in the morning and look at an empty driveway or parking lot. At first you doubt yourself and think that the car is parked somewhere else in the street. Until the harsh reality proves otherwise.
Interpolis is the expert in the field of car insurance.
In 2020, 6,434 car thefts were reported, which is 9.5% less than the year before. Of all those stolen cars, 40.8% were recovered, according to the National Information Center for Vehicle Crime (LIV). Young cars often get a different identity, older models are mainly stolen for the parts, for example for damage repair. Remarkable is the second place for Toyota, while the Mazda CX-5 is also in the top ten. Other popular models are the Fiat 500 and Renault Clio.
The big question is: can I prevent the theft of my car? Not 100%, but there are ways to make it difficult or impossible for the thieves. And the more of the tips below you apply, the smaller the chance that you will become a victim of this form of crime.
Activate the steering wheel lock
After turning off the ignition and removing the key from the ignition, give the steering wheel a tug to activate the steering wheel lock.
Keyless entry & start: take extra care
Many new cars have the convenient ability to open and close the doors and start the engine with the key in your pocket. This is called keyless entry. The key made contact with the car via a radio signal. Even if that key is on the cupboard in the hall. Bad guys have equipment to pick up this signal and can then open the car, start it and drive off with it. So store the key far away or pack it in an anti-theft storage bag for your car keys, such as the De LoJack KeyJack from Interpolis.
Alarm system
Ever been startled awake by a blaring car alarm? Good, because the crooks are also startled and run away quickly. If your car does not yet have such a system, please inquire about the installation option.
Park in a clearly visible place
Do not park your car in a dark corner, but preferably park under a lamppost or near it.
Handbrake and gear
Do not only put the car on the handbrake (parking brake), but also in first gear, an automatic transmission in position P. In many cases, the front and rear wheels are then blocked.
Get good car insurance
Unfortunately, theft cannot always be prevented. In such a situation it is nice that you are properly insured. Therefore, choose a car insurance that also covers theft. What can your insurer do for you after theft? And how much do you get paid? And do you get a replacement car? These are all questions that your insurer has an answer to and that you should definitely ask.
Curious about the theft risk of your car?
Calculate it with the Interpolis Car Theft Barometer.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl