Car key burglaries

In some cases burglars are breaking into houses while you sleep with the intention of finding your car keys and stealing your car and any other small items they find on the way, what can I do?

Firstly before you turn in for the night check that all doors, ground floor windows and easily accessible windows are closed and locked.

PVCu doors – don’t forget that the door is not fully locked until you have lifted the inside handle and turned the key or thumb-turn. When replacing a Europrofile lock cylinder ensure that you get a BS1007 three star anti-snap, anti-bump lock cylinder.

If you have an intruder alarm and can do so activate the downstairs zone when you go to bed.

To stop the burglar getting to the vulnerable windows and doors to the rear ensure that side gates are closed and locked.

Please also ensure that you put your car keys somewhere safe and out of sight, when you return home. Put your car keys in a drawer (preferably one that is noisy to open) or some other secure place, but don’t take them up to the bedroom with you. 

If you have cars of different values, please park the higher value car in your garage.  If you can’t do this, please park the lower value car in front of the higher value car, as the thieves are more likely to target high value cars and will be deterred if they can’t easily drive such a car away from the scene.

With high value cars consider the fitting of a tracking system, word of caution you get what you pay for, look for a system that uses RF frequency, 3 or 4G phone networks SIM as well as satellite connection GPS. There are even systems where you can “Geo-fence” the vehicle location so that if it moves beyond this the tracking system is activated.

For further crime prevention advice contact your local Crime Prevention Officer using the police non emergency number 101.

Stephen Armson-Smith

9/2/16