A SIMPLE habit when you park your car can quickly deter any would-be criminals from targeting your motor – and it doesn’t cost a thing.
Sharply turning your wheels towards the kerb when parallel parked on a street is one of the best ways to keep burglars at bay, according to a former car thief.
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Car thefts are rising across the nation, with over 108,000 vehicles hit from March 2021 to March 2022 in England and Wales.
The spike has led former motor-thief Michael Fraser to offer his insider knowledge to help Brits keep their cars secure.
Michael, who is now a home security expert, said simply turning your wheels towards the kerb will instantly stop criminals from targeting your car.
He told BBC News: “If you look out on the street, ninety-nine percent of us parallel park with the wheels dead straight.
“One percent will turn the wheels into the kerb or towards another car. You’ll never find that car will be stolen.”
The former burglar said that making efforts to secure your home and motor will stop criminals from earmarking your property because “burglars are very lazy people”.
He added: “Burglary will never change because it’s so easy and you’re more likely to get away with burglary than anything else because it’s not looked at seriously.
“If you do anything to secure your property, he’ll move next door. Ninety-nine percent of us just do nothing.
“You do anything to secure your property, he’ll move on to next door.”
The BBC presenter, Joanna Gosling, was surprised at how easy yet effective the car wheel method was, and said it was “a simple thing to change”.
Alex Cross, insurance director at Tesco Bank, cautioned that drivers are increasingly at risk due to the advancing sophistication of car thieves and their tactics.
He added that with car technology’s rapid development, it wasn’t a “smash and grab job anymore”.
This particularly relates to the introduction of keyless entry on cars, which has allowed thieves to bounce the signal from the car fob to a device which can boost the signal and unlock the car.
Alex urged motorists with keyless entry to store their car keys away from windows and doors at night, or to use a faraday pouch o block any signals coming from the key fob.
Parking in a garage or a well-lit residential area is also advised to deter potential motor thefts.
Recent years has seen a significant spike in car thefts, with data showing Ford and Vauxhall vehicles the most at risk of being stolen.
The two make up more than 30 percent of motor theft claims, reports the Express.
And since 2018, the top five areas in the UK most prone to car thefts, totalled and ranked by volume of claims each year, include North Coventry, Harrow, East Birmingham, Brent and Greater London.
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