Their annual survey helps to understand the extent of car crime in the UK, as well as motorists' attitudes and behaviour around the issue, so that they can continue to help them keep their cars and their belongings safe.
The new 2005 Cracking Car Crime report reveals that the UK's crime bill has increased to £1.4bn in the last twelve months, as smash and grab thieves take advantage of driver complacency.
Each hour 369 UK motorists are falling victim to car thieves
While government figures claims a slight fall in the number of car crime attacks,
thieves are making more money than ever thanks to complacent drivers leaving
their belongings on display.
A worrying trend is that car muggings show an eightfold rise in the past three years where thieves target unwitting motorists as they wait at traffic lights or sit in a jam.
Nigel Doggett, managing director of Autoglass®, said: "While total car crime figures might be going down year on year, car crooks are becoming increasingly bold in targeting their victims. And it's no wonder when no today's portable technology means motorists are sitting ducks for smash-and-grab crooks who can't resist taking a chance on getting their hands on a car full of gadgets, even if the car owner is sitting in their vehicle when they strike. Motorists have long been warned about leaving belongings on show in parked cars but perhaps the best policy now is to keep valuables out of sight at all times to minimise the risk of being a target for opportunistic thieves."
The UK's car crime bill has risen to £1.4 billion in the last
year, with victims being left, on average, £569 out of pocket, up 24%
from £458 last year
To compile their Cracking Car Crime study they interviewed over 1,000 motorists
who had side glass replaced this year to measure the level of car crime in the
UK and gain a greater understanding of motorists' attitudes and experiences
of car crime.
Their nationwide study also revealed that:
26% of thefts occur in public car parks but the most at-risk place
for car theft is on the street outside your home (28%)
Car stereos top the smash and grab crook's most-wanted list, with almost 600,000 being robbed in the last year, followed by CDs or tapes, handbags and briefcases, credit cards, mobile phones and clothes.
Despite this, motorists are more likely to claim against vandalism (76%) than stolen items (54%)
36% of vandalism occurs on cars parked in the road outside our front doors
The Car Crooks' Shopping List – 2005's most commonly stolen items
Autoglass® has prepared the following simple, 60-second checklist in a bid to keep motorists, their cars and belongings safe. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) estimates it could cut attacks by half.
Says David Ainsworth, Vehicle Crime Lead, ACPO: "Alongside burglary, auto crime remains a distressing crime that a vast range of partners are determined to combat. This simple guide enables drivers to take precautions that will lessen the prospect of them becoming a car crime victim."
A victim's point of view
To understand the financial and emotional impact of car crime on motorists
we spoke to three victims of car crime who live across the UK, here's what they
say.
Susan Kennedy (36) – Cleaning Officer, Renfrewshire, Scotland
One crook couldn't believe his luck when he targeted Johnston train station
for his latest smash and grab attack – breaking into three cars and getting
away with their stereos.
It meant his victims however, got a nasty shock when they returned to their cars after a long day at work. One of them was Susan Kennedy who was lumped with a hefty repair and car window replacement bill of over £200 pounds.
"I thought I was doing enough by parking in a car park that was well-lit and monitored by CCTV, but I suppose it goes to show that it is what is inside your car that counts, you simply cannot leave anything lying around."
For Susan, the hassle of being broken into was amplified as she had to organise further child care for her daughter whilst she spent valuable hours giving statements to the police and sorting out her car.
"In future, I will spend that little bit extra time checking my car is secure and that all valuable possessions are removed before I leave it. I never want to go through all this hassle again."
Mick Wooten (52) – Technical Manager, Sheffield, Yorkshire
One crook got a nasty shock the night he robbed Mick Wooten's car – his
loot consisted of nothing more than a pair of old trainers and a sweaty t-shirt.
But car crime victim Mick (52), a Technical Manager from Sheffield was anything but smug, as he was left with a hefty repair bill and an evening wasted filling out police and insurance forms.
"I almost wish they had gotten away with something more valuable" he told us.
"At least then there would have been some point to the whole thing. As it was the crooks had probably thrown the bag away before I even got off the phone to the police."
The incident was especially vexing for Mick as he had always taken care to follow police advice about car safety.
"I always locked my car stereo and any valuables in the boot before I left my car" he says.
"But it never occurred to me to hide worthless items as well. I suppose to a crook any bag is a target – they don't know what it contains until after they have taken it and by then it is too late anyway".
As a result, Mick is now far more cautious.
"Once bitten twice shy I guess. These days I don't leave anything on show in the car at all. I don't want to have to go through all that hassle again over a pair of smelly trainers!'
Rob Fellows, Account Director, Isleworth, London
When a gang of thieves on mopeds targeted Rob Fellows (30) as he drove home
last November, they were following a well-practised plan – distract, steal
and go.
'It never occurred to me that thieves would steal from my car while I was actually in it,' Rob, an Account Director from London admits. 'Let alone in such an organised way'
'I always thought of car crooks as being opportunists but these thieves worked as a team, each with their own roles to play. One of them distracted me, another stole the goods and the third made the getaway. It was actually really clever'
Rob was on his way home from an evening with friends when the thieves struck. The decoy vehicle appeared first, distracting him by driving erratically and swerving in and out of lanes. Then, when the gang was certain Rob's attention was firmly focused upon the decoy's antics the second moped took action, smashing his window and stealing thousands of pounds worth of goods from his back seat.
'It all happened so quickly. 'I didn't even notice the second moped pulling up beside me until I heard the smash and saw him reaching onto my back seat for my bags' Rob says.
'I tried to grab some of it back but in the end I only managed to rescue one bag - ironically containing a pair of shoes I had just had re-heeled, before they sped off. They took my laptop, briefcase and wallet, as well as things I'll never be able to replace like the cufflinks I was given for my 21st birthday'.
Rob had always prided himself on being sensible about car crime and never left expensive items on show when he parked his car - but he now admits he could have done more to protect himself against the thieves.
'It never occurred to me to hide my possessions when I was actually in the car before. Nowadays I keep everything in the boot - out of sight'.
