No one ever thinks it’ll happen to them, until it does. It’s a nightmare scenario – pleased with your acquisition of a second-hand mobility vehicle drive over to your favourite restaurant for a slap-up celebratory meal. It’s all perfectly lovely until you emerge several hours later and find an empty space in the spot where you parked…
It could happen, and regrettably it does happen. We’ve compiled a few sensible theft-prevention tips so you can make sure it doesn’t happen to you.
Anti-theft devices
There are a number of devices you can purchase that will help deter thieves and keep your vehicle safe. We’re all familiar with the classic “club” steering wheel lock, however you can also get hold of more sophisticated devices such as an electronic immobiliser, which prevents your vehicle from moving unless a specific electronic signal is detected. Car alarms are also a common solution that still works well.
If you don’t drive your car that often then you could consider tire locks, which work similarly to the clamping systems you see attached to the cars of unfortunate souls who are bad at parking. However, as these can be a pain to get on and off, you wouldn’t want one on a car you use daily.
Second-hand mobility vehicles may well already have some of these devices installed. Check with your seller what’s included in your vehicle, and consider adding anti-theft devices to your list of factors to consider when purchasing second hand mobility vehicles.
If you’re willing to invest a little money, the Metropolitan police recommends investing in a GPS tracker. These can cost a little to install but can be a boon if your vehicle does end up stolen, as they have very high retention rates.
Good habits to get into
Well lit, busy spaces and secure parking structures are both your friends when it comes to finding a location that won’t tempt car thieves. Be mindful of where you park, especially if you’re going to be leaving your car for some time and it’s late at night. You don’t want to give potential thieves any more opportunity than necessary, and a dark, secluded parking spot in the middle of nowhere will do exactly that.
Make a habit of checking all entry points are closed and locked before you leave the vehicle. This means not just doors, but also things like the sun roof and the rear windows. Also make sure you don’t leave valuables on display.
Also, when you’re at home, get in the habit of using your garage. We know it’s easier to leave the thing on the road, but simply putting it behind a thick metal door will prevent it from being a target for opportunistic thieves in the neighbourhood.
Another useful thing to do is know what your relative chances of falling victim to car theft are. The fact of the matter is that you are simply more likely to fall victim to car crime in some areas than others. Honest John has put together a useful tool that you can use to calculate your relative risk of car theft, based on where in the UK you live and what make of car you drive.
Vehicle Identification Number
A useful preventative measure you may want to consider is also to have your Vehicle Identification Number etched into your vehicle’s important parts.
All vehicles registered in the UK must have a unique, stamped-in vehicle identification number (VIN) and registration number, and you can feel free to put this wherever you’d like – windows, ramp, bonnet, battery, wherever it’ll fit.
This allows you to easily report the vehicle stolen and makes it more difficult for thieves to resell. Make it nice and visible, to try to put thieves off straight away.
We don’t mean this blog to be all doom and gloom: car theft in the UK has on the whole been on the decline in recent years, and the chances of it happening to you are getting lesser and lesser every year. Still, it still pays to be vigilant. Stay safe this Christmas.
Looking for second hand mobility vehicles at great prices? Get in touch with Mobility Nationwide and browse our showroom of fantastic models.