News

Car Crime

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Brits keep more than £3.6 billion worth of valuables in their cars, according to new research.

Radios, CD players and sat navs mean the average car has £106.04 of stuff left in it when it is parked up.

More than 38 per cent of people leave their phones in their car while almost a third don't bother to take their radio out.

Around 29 per cent even leave cash on show in their car and one in five store their golf clubs in the boot.

But drivers ought to be more careful as the poll, by security solution firm Barriers Direct, found that a massive 37 per cent of people have had their car broken into.

More than 12 per cent of those were hit by thieves within the last year.

And despite the rise in the number of people being attacked while confronting crooks, a brave 83 per cent of Brits would try and stop a thief if they spotted them trying to break into their car.

Another 62 would even try and stop a crook stealing things from a STRANGER'S car.

Not surprisingly, it's the radio that is taken the most, followed by cash and clothes, with the average cost of the stolen goods totalling £77.25.

However, rather than making people more concerned about car thieves, 16 per cent say they are actually LESS worried about leaving expensive items on show.

Worryingly, six per cent think their car is a perfectly safe place to leave valuable while four per cent even leave them visible on the seats

And while two thirds do store things well out of sight in the boot, seven per cent simply put them under the seats.

The poll, of 2,500 people also revealed 67 per cent think car crime in the UK is getting worse, with the average Brit knowing of two people who had their car broken into.

A spokesman for BarriersDirect.com said: "It's alarming how many people leave valuables in their cars, especially as the collective value adds up to so much."

"Yet there are simple security measures that can enable you to keep your gadgets in your vehicle. Car safes offer an affordable way to secure sat navs, mp3 players, mobile phones and small valuables so there's no excuse to leave valuables on show."

In an attempt to protect the car, Brits will spend an average of £70.31 making sure their car is secure with a quarter believing a car immobilizer is the most effective security method.

Another 22 per cent think the trusty car alarm is the best way to discourage the thieves.

However, a third of drivers think there needs to be more advice available on how to keep your car safe. Top five valuables left in cars most often

  1. Mobile phone
  2. Radio
  3. Cash
  4. Keys
  5. Mp3 player

Top five things stolen

  1. Radio
  2. Cash/clothes
  3. Sports equipment
  4. Credit/debit cards
  5. Mobile phone

Car Safes

Car safes are available to purchase from Barriers Direct.

For more information, pictures etc please contact:

Barriers Direct Tel No. +44 (0) 1371 820079 email: contact@barriersdirect.co.uk web: www.barriersdirect.co.uk

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