5 tips to prevent your car from being stolen or broken into

Don’t give thieves the idea that there’s anything in your car worth stealing.  So our first tip is quite simple: take your valuables with you or if you can’t, hide them from view. It also helps if you park in a safe place.

If you leave your telephone or tablet in the car when you stop for coffee, remember to switch off the Bluetooth signal. Criminals can easily intercept this signal and without knowing it, you’re telling them that your car is fair game.

If your car is stolen, there’s a good chance that you’ll never see it again. That’s why the experts from ABN AMRO Verzekeringen recommend installing a Kiwa SCM approved alarm system. Insurance companies often make this a requirement for insuring expensive cars. And you’ll have a system that really helps to prevent car theft or break-ins, because thieves tend not to go for cars with a good alarm.

Always try to find a safe place to park your car; a secure car park or garage, for example.

Do you have a car with keyless entry? Keyless entry means that you can open and start the car without a key. It’s undeniably handy, but it also increases the chances of your car being stolen or broken into.

This is because criminals can easily boost the signal from your key fob using a signal amplifier. In a test carried out by the ADAC (the German AA), all 24 cars of 19 different makes featuring keyless entry were opened without any trouble at all.

To prevent this, ABN AMRO’s experts advise the following:

• When buying a new car (or choosing a new lease car), choose one with a physical key.
• Get an immobiliser fitted if you’ve already got keyless entry.
• Don’t leave the key in an obvious place, but hide it away.
• If you keep the key at home, make sure you put it in a good hiding place to stop burglars from finding it.

How to stop criminals from breaking into your car if you have keyless entry:

1. Stop them intercepting the signal. This is the simplest, and most important, tip. Store the transponder key in a lockable metal tin: this will block the signal. You can also buy special signal blocking pouches. This prevents thieves from targeting your car if you’re out and have the key in your bag or pocket.
2. Swap the transponder key. If you have a newer car model, the manufacturer can swap your transponder key for a more secure model.
3. Get an immobiliser with personal authorisation fitted. The immobiliser works independently of your car’s keyless entry features.
4. Have the transponder key secured. You can contact one of the following suppliers, all of which use an approved system: Clifford Electronics Benelux, Fleetaccess, CARlectra