Theft of Sat Navs - Car Crime Number One in the UK

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Sat Navs have replaced car stereos as the primary item taken from vehicles by criminal opportunists; a massive 160,000 were stolen from cars last year.  Many drivers routinely carry in-car GPS devices, but motorists who leave sat navs clearly on display, whether it is a cheap sat nav or not, are making themselves easy prey for petty thieves on the look out. 

Drivers are advised to remove valuables and sat navs from view, and hide any evidence of their presence, such as mounts and suction pad marks.  Don’t be tempted to hide the device in the glove compartment or under the seat, it’s the first place thieves will search.  It’s wise to take your GPS device with you, especially when it’s dark, just to be extra safe, and have your serial number jotted down and stored in a separate place.

With the reduced hours of daylight, and winters nights closing in earlier, criminals are provided with protection under the cover of darkness and cars are even more at risk.  Statistics show that thieves are making the most of it; Tracker - the stolen vehicle recovery systems provider, has reported that a 20 per cent rise in car related thefts happens when it’s dark.

Tracker's police relationships manager Stuart Chapman has confirmed the increased susceptibility of motorists to car theft in a statement, he said ‘the winter's extra hours of darkness allow more time for thieves to break into vehicles.’

Another common problem in winter is that drivers often leave their engines running on frosty mornings to warm them up, perhaps popping back into the house for that last slurp of tea. What an invitation for a thief? The car door is open and even the keys are in the ignition - easy pickings.

With many top of the range sat navs on the market costing an average of between £400 and £500 the allure for criminals is obvious.  According to new research published by top insurance companies the increase in sat nav theft has consequentially pushed up the cost of motor insurance claims.

The best advice might be to never leave your valuables in the car, but it isn’t always practical to carry everything around with you. A car alarm is a good deterrent, although not enough for many a canny crook who can break a lock and disable an alarm within seconds.  A strong box or in car safe is a good alternative and many cost a fraction of the price of a decent sat nav, so are well worth the investment.

Better to put the time and effort into protecting your vehicle and valuables now, than be sorry later.