Prevent Vehicle Theft: Protect Your Car

Send car thieves packing with these simple and effective tips.

Car theft is a persistent issue in the UK. Data from the ONS and Aviva shows a reported 123,000 car crimes per year, or on average 337 per day. This is a 29% increase year on year.

Here are some top tips to help keep your car safe, how to avoid keyless car theft and how Car Defender, a new vehicle security device from Pyronix can stop car thieves in their tracks.

Leave it Locked

The first step to keeping your car safe is to leave it locked. It is a simple mistake, but according to statistics from Neighbourhood Watch, 44% of cars are broken into via an unlocked door. Double-checking to make sure your car is locked when you leave it is essential.

Also worth noting is that 80% of car crimes occur during the evening or at night, so parking near street lamps or in a busy area can help deter thieves. Finally, always leave your car empty. Owners often forget that personal belongings within the car are at as much risk of being stolen as the car itself.

Keyless Car Theft

A more recent method used by car thieves is keyless car theft, also known as relay theft. Using a relay amplifier and a relay transmitter, thieves detect whether a car has keyless entry and use this technology to unlock the doors and drive the car away. The whole process can take as little as 60 seconds and is carried out in near silence. It’s no surprise, according to the insurer Aviva, that owners of keyless vehicles are twice as likely to make a theft claim as those with non-keyless cars.

Ways to combat it

To avoid keyless car theft, remember the following: Distance, Signal and Steering Wheel. Firstly, keep keys a safe distance from the car. Secondly, consider ways to block the signal that your key transmits, either by storing your car keys in a Faraday Pouch or switching off the key if possible. The final method is to secure the vehicle using a steering wheel lock or other physical security device such as a wheel clamp or driveway parking post.

CarDefender

To combat these growing issues, Pyronix have developed and launched CarDefender. It’s a wireless device that protects your car when it’s in close proximity to your home, connecting to your home security system. In the event of an attempted theft, the house alarm is triggered, allowing users to take immediate action.

CarDefender consists of a three-axis accelerometer, which can be attached to your vehicle and configured to detect shocks, movement or a combination of both. In a situation where an intruder hits your vehicle, the CarDefender’s shock detection would trigger your home security alarm. If the thief tries to move your cars steering wheel when CarDefender is attached to it, the devices tilt detection would again trigger the alarm.

Visible Deterrent

Car Defender comes with a bright yellow silicone rubber mount, allowing users to strap it to the vehicle’s steering wheel. This acts as a visible deterrent to thieves in a similar way to a steering wheel lock but CarDefender can be attached much more quickly and is small enough to be stored in a vehicle’s glove box. Alternatively, it can be attached to any part of the vehicle using using 3M adhesive tape. An example of this could be attaching the device to the door of a van to combat tool theft.

Other Uses

While CarDefender isn’t IP rated, it’s PCB is conformally coated so it can be used in changeable environments. This makes it ideal for motorbikes, trailers and caravans too.

Automatic Connections

Because CarDefender has been designed to secure vehicles when they’re in the immediate vicinity of your home, it is able to automatically connect to your home security system when your car travels into range. After five minutes, CarDefender automatically reactivates detection. Users can also reactivate it manually by pressing the B2H (Back 2 Home) button which is the recommended method.

Taking steps to protect your vehicle from theft can save you a lot of time, money
and stress. Find out more about CarDefender or any of our other security
systems by calling 01246 888 444 or email [email protected]