Dear Resident, 

Items such as sat-navs, phones, money, laptops, clothing and tools can be extremely attractive to an offender and are the everyday items that often get left on show in vehicles. 

The following advice will help prevent your vehicle and personal items from being targeted by criminals. Some changes can be made free of charge and others will vary in cost depending on your vehicle and additional requirements. 

Lock it! 

This may sound obvious, but you should always lock it. Vehicle crime is more than often committed when the vehicle is left insecure. So, get into the habit of locking your vehicle even if you’re only going to be away from it for a moment.

Fuelling up or popping back into your house to get something are perfect examples of how easy it is to turn your back for a moment and forget your vehicle is unsecured.

You should also:

You may want to consider additional security products depending on your vehicle – there are various solutions available to mark different parts on your vehicle, devices to assist in protecting catalytic convertors and tamper proof screws for number plates. 

If you are looking to purchase additional physical security for your vehicle we would recommend that you try to purchase devices that  are Thatcham quality assured or Sold Secure tested (www.thatcham.org) and/or www.soldsecure.com)
 

It’s always worth contacting the manufacturer of your vehicle if you are looking for additional specific security devices for in built features such as sat-nav systems.

How does it impact a business? 

Having certain items stolen could have a huge impact on your work or business, especially if the laptop, phone or tools are required by you to do your job.  

Vans are often targeted by thieves for the tools stored inside. If you must leave tools in a van overnight, it's a good idea to mark all property clearly with your name / company name and address using paint pens and seal with a clear lacquer spray. Alternatively, you can use a variety of other property marking systems such a forensic property marking. Items that are clearly marked are less desirable and more difficult to sell on.

Consider using a lockable cabinet within your van to store tools – a number of security rated products are available. Small cameras are also designed to record inside vehicles. Visit Secured by Design for more details.

You can also take photographs of items of value, make a note of the serial numbers and consider registering them online at a property register site.

We hope this information helps.

Kind regards, 

Crime Prevention Team

It is important to us that we know about the issues that cause you concern. We have set up a survey where you can tell us about the things you would like us to focus on in your area.

Resident's voice | Cheshire Constabulary