How to prevent theft from your car
Theft from a motor vehicle tends to be a crime of opportunity. By taking a few extra precautions to secure your vehicle and the contents inside, you can significantly lower your chances of being affected by this type of crime.
What can you do?
- Always keep your doors and windows locked when your car is left unattended, even if it's for a short period of time, or when it is parked in your driveway or on your street at home.
- Avoid leaving your valuables in plain view. You should take items like your mobile phone, handbag or wallet, GPS and spare change with you as you leave your car, or hide them out of sight before locking your car.
- Try to find a parking spot in a well-lit or populated area. Parking under a street light, next to a busy road, or in plain sight of others can increase the security of your
car.
How to prevent car theft
Did you know 7 in 10 cars are stolen with their own keys. Often keys are stolen without the owner noticing they're gone.
Vehicle thefts are almost always opportunistic in nature, with offenders often entering homes through unlocked doors and windows to get car keys. Some offenders are even prepared to enter while you are home, to quickly grab keys left in easily accessible spots.
The number of vehicles reported stolen from Lake Macquarie City from April 2018 to March 2019 was 524, down from 556 in the previous year.
Despite this positive reduction, it’s important to keep your vehicle safe by keeping your keys in a secure place.
Car security begins at home.
What can you do?
- Safeguard your keys – consider them to be as valuable as your car itself. Keep them in a discreet and secure place, such as in a drawer, rather than on a bench.
- Lock your door behind you as you enter or leave home.
- Make sure others are taking the same security measures.
- Don’t tag your keys with your name or address – use a mobile phone number or driver licence number instead.
- At home, keep trees and shrubs well-trimmed in order to provide a clear line of sight to the street and reduce potential hiding places.
- Motion-activated external security lighting can deter intruders.
- Consider installing a visible, signposted alarm system as a deterrent to criminals.
- Be a good neighbour. If you notice any suspicious activity, report it immediately to Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.