Intranetics Motoring News Service

Preventative measures reminder issued to sat nav owners

4th July 2007 | BACK     PRINT

Motorists have been reminded about the importance of taking preventative measures to ensure their satellite navigation (sat nav) devices are not targeted by thieves.

Police superintendent Mike Ismay has made the comments to concerned residents at the local crime and disorder forum in Berkshire after it was revealed that theft from vehicles has been rising over the last six months, according to icBerkshire.

And he has also admitted that Thames Valley police is "struggling" to tackle the problem by itself at present.

"Between the efforts of what the community are doing, we're struggling to reduce theft from motor vehicles," he said.

"Collectively, we've got to do something about vehicle crime."

According to a recent study from automotive accessories company Trafficmaster, more than one in five road users now own a sat nav device to help them navigate.

However, many of these drivers may be failing to follow police guidance by hiding the direction-finding gadgets from view after reaching their destinations.

And Mr Ismay acknowledged that the growing popularity of sat nav systems may be encouraging more opportunist thieves to strike than ever before.

However, the success of a national campaign to remind people about keeping mobile phones safe shows that the police can change attitudes and cut crime figures by launching long-term public awareness drives, he suggested.

"In terms of work with sat navs, it's happening," he added. "But I think it will be a little while yet before we see the fruition of that work."

Recently, another police force unveiled details of a new crime-fighting initiative to tackle the problem of sat nav thefts.

Approximately 2,500 dusters are to be handed out to motorists by Gloucestershire police officers over the coming weeks.

And drivers who are given a duster will be encouraged to use them to wipe off the windscreen sucker marks left by some sat nav cradles after they have been hidden from view.

It is hoped that this will discourage thieves from striking since they will no longer be able to ascertain whether a car is likely to contain a costly sat nav device.

"The sucker mark can act as a beacon to thieves and they will target your car on the assumption that a sat nav has been left in the glove box," explained Paul Francis, crime reduction officer at Gloucestershire police.

Police officers came up with the initiative after official statistics showed there were three times more sat nav thefts reported in May 2007 than in the entirety of 2005.

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