Unexpected start to my week | Peter
Recently I had arguably one of the most unexpected starts to my week, my girlfriend’s car was broken into and the one thing that was stolen was not one that you would expect. Of all the things they could have taken they chose the car battery, clearly someone thought they needed it more than her. I live just off a main road and where the car was parked was also in a pretty busy street so I thought the car would be safe, but I guess not.
In light of this I thought I would share some tips and tricks on how to keep your car and valuables safe. One of the best ways to keep things safe is to park your car in your garage or driveway, as it obviously keeps your car off the street. On top of this always make sure you keep your car locked, it sounds pretty simple but can be easily forgotten from time to time, I know I’ve done it once or twice.
Also do not to leave anything valuable in plain sight for example leaving your GPS on the windscreen. This just makes your car an easy target and highlights to potential thieves that you have valuables in your car.
Another common thing that people seem to do is to leave their car running, maybe you think you’ll just be a quick 30 seconds and don’t need to worry about it, but this opens up a quick opportunity for someone to jump in and drive off with your prized possession.
Although this tip doesn’t prevent your valuables from being stolen it’s a little handy trick in case your car is broken into and something is taken. If there’s anything you take frequently in the car; GPS, mobile phone or MP3 player, keep a note of the serial numbers. When my car was broken into a few years ago that’s one of the things the Police asked for, as it helps them report to local retailers such as Cash Converters, so they can flag if anyone comes in and tries to sell it.
Although none of this would prevent a car battery being stolen I thought it may help in providing you with some tips to prevent your car being broken into. Hopefully this doesn’t happen to you, but if it does make sure you report it to the Police.
