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Motor vehicle theft and theft from vehicles has decreased over the winter months. Lets try and keep it this way. A recent victim of vehicle theft was thankful that they had installed a simple tracking device in their car as when it was stolen they quickly tracked it called police and it was found parked up and they retrieved it. They took on advice using a signal blocking pouch as that was likely how it was taken but unfortunately it was stolen again. They again tracked it and it was found by police. On trying to retrieve it they found their key no longer worked. Their key had possibly been deleted from the car's system and a new one added. Please check the next time you visit a garage or by a car locksmith how many keys are in your car's system and how many keys you have. If you bought a vehicle secondhand it may have more keys added which you don't have. These can be deleted from your car's system. Check that your vehicle is locked and secure every time you leave it. Thieves often look for easy opportunities to steal from vehicles. They will usually try the handles until they get lucky and find one that has been left unlocked. Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home and away from your front door. If you have a keyless entry vehicle, keep the key well away from the vehicle while at home and turn off wireless signals on your fob when its not being used. Consider putting the keys in a screened or signal blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check that it is still working every few months as they suffer wear and tear and then don't block the signal. Install a third party tracker and activate the manufacturer's one if fitted on your vehicle.Install a good quality steering lock.Consider fitting a engine management diagnostic port lockable cover as many modern vehicle ports can unlock and start your vehicle.Park your vehicle in a private garage if you can. If you don’t have access to one, try to park in a well –lit open space. Try to use public car parks that are part of the police approved Park Mark safer parking scheme. Secure your number plates with tamper resistant screws to avoid them being stolen and used by others. Full advice and guidance on this, and other crime types is available on the Metropolitan Police website. 
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