Car Security
Car Theft
Car theft in Australia costs millions of dollars, as well as increasing the cost of your insurance and being a huge inconvenience. Most car thefts occur because the car is easy to steal. The car can then be used to commit other crimes, for joyrides or for transport. Thieves will often look for easy opportunities to steal your car or look for older cars without sufficient security, so it is important that you always lock your car and that your car has anti-theft devices installed such as alarms, steering wheel locks, wheel clamps and immobilisers.
Immobilisers
Immobilisers are currently the best security device to prevent theft. An engine immobiliser is an electronic device that interrupts the power supply to two or more systems which start a vehicle's engine such as the fuel pump, starter motor or ignition. The car will not start unless the correct electronic signal is provided to the system. This can be the ignition key, transponder or coded plug.
As of July 2001, all new passenger cars sold were required to have an engine immobiliser which complies to Australian standards. When choosing an immobiliser for an older car, make sure it is certified to comply with Australian Standard AS/NZS 4601. An immobiliser complying with this standard is automatically activated as soon as the ignition is switched off.
Car Parks
Cars can be stolen from public places such as streets and car parks as well as places of residence. Leaving your car in a safe environment can be just as important as fitting it with anti-theft devices. When using a car park, consider the security features.
Some tips for choosing car parks are:
- Check if the entry and exit points have boom gates.
- Check if the entry has a ticket system.
- Check if the car park is well lit.
- Check if the car park is patrolled by security.
- Check if the car park has closed circuit television (CCTV).
- Check if the car park displays an NRMA Insurance CrimeSafe sign.
Remember to always lock your car when leaving your car, when driving or when at home. Lock any shopping bags away in the boot and don’t leave any personal papers such as registration papers in the glove box.
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