Car safety advice handed out

30/04/2009

People have been advised to park their vehicles in well-lit car parks with decent security, which may include some quality gates.

The AA suggested that people hoping to keep their cars safe should also make sure ground floor doors and windows are secured and bolted when people head off to bed, while spare keys should not be left in the house if they are going away.

According to the organisation, over 18,500 cars were stolen last year as a result of keys being stolen during a robbery or domestic burglary - a fact that may suggest people need some decent gates to keep criminals out.

"Older cars may be used for carrying out other crimes or for joyriding and often end up wrecked or burned out," explained director of AA Insurance Simon Douglas.

Norwich Union predicted earlier this month that there could be a 50 per cent rise in household burglaries by the end of this year.