Icy mornings tempt car thieves

Cars are more difficult to steal than ever, aren’t they? Well, no, not if they are left unattended with the engine running!

The coldest days of winter are probably still to come, bringing a stark warning from leading vehicle security company Retainagroup, about the risks of starting a car first thing in the morning, and leaving it to warm up and defrost while finishing your coffee and cornflakes.

“We’ve probably all done it; turn the heater up, switch on the heated mirrors, seat and rear window and then pop back indoors to finish breakfast or say cheerio to the kids. In just a few seconds, the car can be driven away. The lesson is: don’t leave your car unattended,” said Retainagroup managing director, Wendy Rowe. “If you have the keys, stealing a car is easy, so don’t tempt fate. Leaving the engine running – even on your own drive – is an invitation to thieves.”

Longer hours of darkness in the winter, coupled with murky miserable weather provide criminals with more cover and opportunities. There is also evidence that with the prevalence of CCTV cameras in public places, car thieves are increasingly targeting residential areas.

Retainagroup is the leader in its field and its system of marking vehicle glass and components with a unique code, is a strong theft deterrent and a powerful tool in combating and detecting the growing problem of vehicle cloning. Vehicle and ownership details of marked cars are held by the International Security Register (ISR), owned and operated by Retainagroup. Markings include a 24-hour ‘phone number for the ISR which is used by police, manufacturers, dealers, insurers and the public to check car ownership and police stolen vehicle records.

The Retainagroup system makes stolen vehicles much more difficult to sell. And if they can’t sell it, they won’t nick it. Even so, don’t leave your car unattended with the keys in it.