Theft of Vehicle - West Royd Crescent, Shipley BD18

If you have a garage at home use it to secure your vehicle in when not in use, as opposed to additional storage space
 

Do you really need to bring a work vehicle home with you?  Is there a more secure option at your place of work?
 

If you park your car on your driveway make sure the area is well lit.  This also applies to when you are parking your vehicle in a public place
 

If you have gates on your property ensure that they are closed/secure and you could also consider fitting a security post/bollard
 

When leaving your vehicle always make sure it is fully locked before walking away by actually checking the door handle
 

Check to see how many ‘clicks’ on your key fob activates which security features on your vehicle – what was two clicks on your old car may do something different on your new one? If you are unsure consult the handbook or speak to the dealership where you bought it from
 

When you get home don’t leave the keys for your vehicle on the side in the kitchen, on show or within reach of the letterbox or cat flap and always lock your house door behind you (remove the keys from the lock and do not leave them on view/in reach)
 

Don’t keep the keys to your vehicle in an obvious place – don’t make it easy for a thief to see them or find them
 

Always turn the vehicle off when not in use and remove the ignition keys – don’t leave the vehicle running/the keys in the ignition when nipping into the shop for a newspaper or paying for fuel
 

In the winter months don’t leave the vehicle running and unattended when defrosting it
 

Some vehicles may be susceptible to a breach of the on board diagnostics port (OBD socket) – OBD locks are available and can assist in reducing the access to the port.  As with any additional security for vehicles try to purchase devices that are Thatcham quality assured or Sold Secure tested (www.thatcham.org) and/or www.soldsecure.com)
 

Depending on your vehicle other physical security options may include deadlocks, slam locks, pedal boxes, wheel clamps/locks and steering locks – again look for devices that are Thatcham quality assured or Sold Secure tested
 

If your vehicle doesn’t have an immobiliser or an alarm then consider having one professionally fitted to the Thatcham quality assured standard
 

Tracking devices are also available and may suit more expensive or high performance vehicles