As a famous Jon once said, “Winter is coming.” As winter approaches and the nights grow shorter, Global Telemetrics will inevitably see an increase in vehicle thefts when the opportunity presents itself. With this in mind, Global Telemetrics has put together some tips to keep your vehicle safe this winter.
You are the first point of contact for any form of protection for your vehicle. Every year hundreds of cars are stolen due to minor failures in basic security. Things like: leaving cars unlocked (always check your side mirrors are folded if you have this feature), leaving car windows ajar or open, leaving things visible in your vehicle, and keeping valuables in your car.
24/7 monitored tracking device
A Thatcham approved tracking device can alert you to possible vehicle tampering almost immediately. All Global Telemetrics GPS tracking devices alert the driver when the battery is disconnected and the vehicle is being towed. Some higher-end devices also include warnings if the vehicle is being driven by an unauthorized driver. With the added geofence security, a tracking device can report a theft and our recovery team can be mobilized within minutes to hopefully recover the stolen vehicle.
You can find more information about SmarTrack tracking systems here.
Immobilizers
Immobilizers prevent your vehicle from starting unless a detection method such as our driver recognition cards is present. This means that even if keys are stolen or cloned, the vehicle will not start unless these detection methods are in place.
Global Telemetrics offers immobilization with its S5+ iMob device. This is a tracking device with immobilization that combines both. With this device you get all the features of a top of the range tracking device as well as an immobilizer controlled via the Bluetooth driver recognition card.
Further information about this device can be found here.
Do not leave your vehicle unattended while driving
Due to the impending winter, it deserves its own point and does not belong in the “back to basics” section. Every year, Global Telemetrics as a company recovers vehicles that needed to be defrosted with the engine running while the customer was indoors or not in the vehicle. Opens the door for opportunist thieves to carry out simple theft.
Global Telemetrics highlighted this issue in a YouTube campaign last year, which can be seen here:
Faraday bags or boxes
Keyless theft is a leading cause of vehicle theft around the world. Thieves can use a relay device outside the victim’s home and intercept the signal from the car keys on the property using a small device that then connects to a device next to it. When the vehicle is opened, the car is tricked into thinking the key is there , and the vehicle opened and started. To counteract this, Faraday bags or boxes block any signal transmission from the key to the device, thereby preventing the car from being stolen. Global Telemetrics recommends always storing keys in a Faraday bag or box when the vehicle is not in use.
Steering locks
A proven method to prevent vehicle theft. Although there are still cases of vehicles being stolen with a steering lock attached, it is very likely that a thief will move on to another target if they spot a steering lock.
Social media
Even if you’re careful about your privacy settings, there’s still a good chance that someone who doesn’t consent will see your vehicle. We all appreciate likes and shares, but remember that you’re advertising that there’s a nice new shiny car in your location, which could be found out from previous posts. An innocuous post about your vacation a few months after the post about your new car could be the information a thief needs to pay a visit to your car!
Park in well-lit places
Darkness is a thief’s friend. The less she can be seen, the better. If you can, park in a well-lit location so your customers think twice before choosing your vehicle. This thief might think twice if they are easily visible.
Sell your vehicle
When selling your car, always be careful about what information you give out and what you do with the keys. We recommend that all viewings be carried out in the presence of another person and that potential buyers never test drive the vehicle alone. Global Telemetrics has seen many cases where owners have had their keys and subsequently their vehicle stolen by a person who initially inquired about purchasing the vehicle. In some of these, people also told their potential buyers that the car also had a tracker. This results in the thieves having a head start as they know there is a tracker to remove!
Find out more about all SmarTrack products online at smartrack.uk.net
