DON''T LET CAR CRIME RUIN YOUR CHRISTMAS
01 December 2004 - Green Flag Motoring Assistance

Although car crime is gradually declining, Home Office figures show thereare still over two million vehicle-related thefts each year.

The problem increases during the winter months, as dark evenings and late night
Christmas shopping prove too tempting for opportunist thieves.

Recent research by Green Flag Motoring Assistance reveals that one-in-six
motorists still don''t take any measures to secure their vehicles when
Christmas shopping, and a third admit to leaving presents and other
valuables on view in their cars.

Spokesperson for Green Flag Melanie Denny said: ''The item most commonly
left on view in the car is clothing, sought after by car thieves if it is
brand new or has a high resale value. But Christmas presents are also
regularly left, with distressing consequences to the owner if they are
stolen.''

Other items regularly left on view include mobile phones, cash and
detachable car stereos. Younger drivers were particularly lax when it came
to car security at Christmas as almost a quarter (23 per cent) said they
left Christmas presents they have received, or are yet to give, clearlyvisible in their cars. Most motorists estimated the value of presents left
in the car at under £150, but for the remaining few the value was anything
from £150 to over £250.

Immobilisers were the most common deterrent used to combat car theft with
62 per cent having these in their vehicles. Melanie comments: ''This is not
surprising as all new cars now include an immobiliser as standard, but we
found that only eight per cent of motorists used a combination of security
measures to maximise protection and ten per cent had no security at all -
an open invitation to opportunist thieves.''

The most security conscious motorists were the more experienced drivers
aged over 55, with over three-quarters (76 per cent) saying they removed
all valuables from view when leaving their cars unattended. However, few
motorists seem to give much thought to where they park their vehicles when
out Christmas shopping.

Two-thirds of motorists choose to park in the shopping centre car parks,
despite the fact that few of these are manned or secured. One-in-five
continue to park their car on the street.

Melanie Denny added: ''According to the Home Office, most car crime during
the day occurs in car parks, while the majority of night-time car crime
happens on the street. Green Flag recommends parking in secure manned car
parks, particularly at Christmas, where crime can go unnoticed among all
the hustle and bustle.''

To avoid having your Christmas blighted by car crime, Green Flag offers

some timely advice:

When out shopping, park in secure manned car parks wherever possible..
Never leave Christmas presents or other personal belongings on view in
the car, lock all possessions in the boot out of sight.
Don''t leave windows open or doors unlocked, even for a minute. It only
takes a second for an opportunist thief to reach inside.
Don''t leave any cheque books, cash or credit cards in the car.
Use security systems such as immobilisers, alarms conforming to British
Standard 6803 and security etching on windows.
If your car doesn''t have an immobiliser, fit a steering wheel or gear
stick lock.
If you have a stereo with a detachable front, always remove it.
Look after your car keys. Think of them as having the same value as your
car and don''t leave them within easy reach of would-be thieves.

Those surveyed who were unlucky enough to have Christmas gifts stolen from
their cars said the worst part about the experience was the inconvenience
of replacing items, and the embarrassment of losing presents others had
given them, rather than the actual financial loss.

www.greenflag.com

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