DO you know where your car keys are? Mine are in my jacket pocket, well they should be as I’m in the office, however increasingly it appears we are leaving our car keys with total strangers.
DO you know where your car keys are? Mine are in my jacket pocket, well they should be as I’m in the office, however increasingly it appears we are leaving our car keys with total strangers. In fact 43% of us left our car keys with a total stranger in the last 12 months according to a recent survey. At Alpha Contracts we use the excellent car cleaning guys over at Sixfields Stadium, across the road from our office, and happily leave the keys to all sorts of cars with those guys without a second thought.
Incidents of Car Theft have been in decline over many years thanks to improved security measure on new cars but the last 12 months has seen an increase, proving that there are still determined criminals looking for opportunities to steal cars. As a result the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, together with Thatcham Research have published a 10 point plan to remind us about vehicle security. As always some of it is astonishingly obvious but it is worth reproducing it below.
* Think about who you leave your vehicle keys with. Treat them as you do your house keys – do you know the person you are leaving your keys with? Do you trust them?
* Check who you are leaving your vehicle keys with. Check they are a member of an accredited code of practice or other professional standard such as Motor Codes; the British Parking Association’s Park Mark scheme; or the Car Wash Advisory Service’s WashMark initiative. (Memo – must ask the Sixfields Boys!)
* Think about where you park your vehicle – is it in a safe place? .
* Check that your vehicle is locked before leaving it. Listen for the locking noise, watch for the lights to flash or mirrors to fold, or simply pull the door handle.
* Think about where you leave your spare key. Don’t leave it in your vehicle!
* Check that you haven’t left valuables on display in your vehicle. Check that the vehicle’s windows are closed, even if you are only leaving it for a few minutes. .
* Think about where you keep your keys at home. Keep them well away from the door or windows and out of sight.
* Check that your alarm or immobiliser is enabled when you leave your car. A simple check could save considerable expense and inconvenience later.
* Check whether your vehicle has an alarm or immobiliser. If it doesn’t, think about buying an aftermarket alarm, steering wheel lock or other locking device. These are proven to deter thieves.
If your current vehicle doesn’t have the latest security features on it and you are thinking of upgrading then get in touch with the sales team at Alpha Contracts for advice and suggestions as to your next step. You could even leave your keys with us, we are very nice people! Call the team on 01604 586653