Theft Protect

Ford Transit Remains Top Of The Thief Hit List

2011-06-17T02:43:00.000-07:00

Ford Transit Remains Top Of The Thief Hit List

The Ford Transit remains at the top of a car thief’s hit list reveals the UK’s police unit dedicated to vehicle crime, the ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS).

Thieves’ Favourites

The workman’s favourite is the most popular vehicle to be stolen in the first quarter of 2011,* illustrating that it’s not just those with high-end vehicles that need to be wary of theft. Not only does a van such as the Ford Transit prove to be valuable in terms of spare parts or as scrap metal, but the lure of potential tools and other contents stored in the back makes it irresistible for thieves.

“Vehicles appearing in the list may surprise motorists,” said Head of AVCIS, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper. “Although high-end cars are stolen to order by criminals, those driving more affordable vehicles should not be complacent. Whatever vehicle you drive, security should always be a priority.”

The list has been released as part of Car Crime Awareness Week, which runs 13-19 June 2011, in order to raise general awareness of vehicle crime and remind motorists to be vigilant and security-conscious.

Top ten stolen vehicles in Q1 2011
1) Ford Transit
2) Vauxhall Astra
3) Ford Fiesta
4) Volkswagen Golf
5) Vauxhall Corsa
6) BMW 3 Series
7) Ford Focus
8) Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
9) Ford Mondeo
10) Honda Civic

As part of Car Crime Awareness Week, AVCIS is advising motorists to follow these guidelines to prevent their vehicles from being targeted by criminals:

• Ensure that car keys are not left in sight within your house: thieves often fish keys through letterboxes and open windows
• If you have a garage, store your car there whenever possible
• With the summer months approaching, people often leave doors and windows open: ensure your keys aren’t easily accessible for opportunist thieves, but equally do not hide them and put yourself at risk of harm from a determined thief
• Lock your car whenever you leave it. Even if you are simply unloading the car, make sure that you remove the keys and lock the vehicle. If your car is stolen through these means if often invalidates your insurance
*1 January – 31 March 2011 AVCIS data on file

Almost 9,000 vehicles across the UK were stolen in just 36 days at the beginning of 2011, reports the Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS).

The statistics have been revealed ahead of AVCIS’ Car Crime Awareness Week, which takes place on 13-19 June 2011. The initiative aims to raise the public’s awareness of vehicle crime methods in order to drive down offences.

This new data illustrates that 50 per cent of thefts were made when a vehicle was left at the owner’s home address or close by, including 17.6 per cent through the burglary of properties to obtain car keys.

A third were stolen when vehicles were away from the home and four per cent of crimes during the 36 day sample were made by opportunist thieves, where keys were left in or within easy reach of the vehicle. Shockingly, this would mean that annually 3,400 thefts could be easily prevented through heightened awareness.

“These figures demonstrate that vehicle crime continues to be an issue across the UK,” said Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper, Head of AVCIS. “Criminals will use a variety of means to steal cars, from towing them away or simply driving them off when owners leave the keys in the ignition to burgling houses and sophisticated attacks on manufacturers’ security systems.

“Our aim is to increase general awareness, including encouraging motorists to take simple precautions and advise manufacturers of criminals’ methods so they can continue to help drive down vehicle crime.

In the lead up and during Car Crime Awareness Week AVCIS will release information on the current state of vehicle crime relating to freight vehicles, agricultural equipment, caravans and motorhomes, as well as to the general motorist.

For more information on vehicle crime and AVCIS visit http://www.avcis.police.uk/ or the Car Crime Awareness Week Facebook page www.facebook.com/CarCrimeAwarenessWeek .

UK lost or stolen vehicles 1 January 2011 – 5 February 2011
(36 day sample*)

Number & Method of theft

• 2,916 (33%) Home address or vicinity where the owner claims to have the keys
• 2,824 (32%) Unattended away from the home where the owner claims to have the keys
• 1,555 (17.6%) Car key burglary
• 1,037 (11.7%) Unrecorded details/unconfirmed loss/vehicle not stolen
• 342 (3.9%) Unattended with keys
• 98 (1.1%) Direct robbery of vehicle
• 54 (0.6%) Acquired by fraud

*Statistics have been generated from the Police National Computer using keywords. Additional offences may have occurred and are not identified within this report.

BRITAINS CAR CRIME HOTSPOTS

2011-02-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

To see the Car Crime Hotspots report CLICK HERE.

Broker In Focus: NEW BROKER GROUP ON LINKED IN

2010-12-29T14:21:00.000-08:00

Broker In Focus: NEW BROKER GROUP ON LINKED IN

Operation Yankee - Jail Time For Car Crime Gang

2010-12-22T06:32:00.001-08:00

Operation Yankee - Jail Time For Car Crime Gang

2010-12-22T06:32:00.000-08:00

Operation Yankee - Jail Time For Car Crime Gang

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/02/expandable-post-summaries.html#ixzz0PTxoTx9G

£3.4 million worth of cars stolen and recovered in Q2 | Easier

2010-11-16T22:46:00.000-08:00

£3.4 million worth of cars stolen and recovered in Q2 Easier

Car crime warning issued by insurer

2010-11-16T22:42:00.000-08:00

Car crime warning issued by insurer

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/02/expandable-post-summaries.html#ixzz0PTxoTx9G

BBC News - Woman hurt in Derbyshire car theft 'acted on instinct'

2010-11-16T22:40:00.000-08:00

BBC News - Woman hurt in Derbyshire car theft 'acted on instinct'

Midlands tops stolen used car league

2010-09-10T03:01:00.000-07:00

Midlands tops stolen used car league

Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/02/expandable-post-summaries.html#ixzz0PTxoTx9G

CAR CRIME RISING

2010-02-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

Theft of cars is of particular concern to insurers as thieves are targeting expensive and the more popular marques. Once they are stolen, they are often never found – they may be taken abroad, cloned or dismantled for parts that can fetch large sums of money overseas.

Yet car owners often leave themselves open to thieves who may be waiting for an unguarded moment to steal them, or opportunist thieves who just see a chance and grasp it.

Why you shouldn’t believe the Home Office “declining car crime” hype

Car crime represents a large percentage of overall crime. In 2008/9 the total number of offences reported to the police was 4,703,814. Car crime represented a massive 13% of that total at 592,117 incidents, that is a rate of more than 1 per minute.

The average age of vehicles on the road is increasing as their values decrease. Victims with lower value cars are increasingly less likely to report a theft, lacking confidence that anything can be done, combined with the increased insurance cost when weighed against the value of the car.

Cars are being cloned at an alarming rate. Some 30,000 sets of number plates were reported stolen last year with the most common result being that a similar make and model of vehicle is then stolen and driven around with little prospect of being easily identified by the police.

300,000 V5 (registration documents) were stolen from the DVLA last year, which has resulted in many of the vehicles to which they apply being cloned.

The police routinely suppress car crime statistics as they form part of a larger group of offences that can have a major “apparent” downward effect on crime rates. Car theft will often not be crimed initially, merely reported as an incident. There is a huge difference. A crime sits on the books as part of the larger crime picture, whereas an incident does not. The incident is frequently left as such, not upgraded to a crime until the victim makes a written statement.

Car crimes are often redefined and allocated to other categories, such as “theft other”, which covers a multitude of sins, and in doing so conveys the impression of falling car crime rates. When a thief breaks into your house to steal your car keys, this is reported as burglary, not car theft. If the vehicle is taken from you by force on the street, it is reported as robbery or theft other, not car theft, as will be seen later in this article. There were over 18,000 such instances last year alone, that is 14% of car thefts with this new modus operandi, and this is a growing phenomenon.

Insurance companies are witnessing a massive upsurge in car crime claims. This is perhaps a better indicator, as it is not always a requirement to report the incident to the police.

The weakest link

Keys are the weakest link in the car theft chain and modern cars can't easily be taken without them. Thieves are getting more determined and violent in their tactics too.

Every day, 50 cars are stolen by burglary of homes or robbery of people to get keys and then steal the car. Insurers have witnessed a 15% increase this year in claims for cars stolen in exactly this way.

Common tactics include:

Fishing for keys through the letterbox - so never leave keys on a hall table or a convenient rack by the door
Breaking in to a house at night or when it is obviously empty - they might steal your spare keys and wait until returning home before taking the car
Pick-pocketing or stealing handbags to get keys
Breaking into places where you might have left your keys such as gym lockers or cloakrooms
Taking keys from desks, jacket pockets or drawers in workplaces
Violently pulling drivers out of their car when parking

Taking chances

Unfortunately, many drivers still leave keys in their cars even for a moment, for example, popping back into the house, because you have forgotten something; at petrol stations or while feeding a pay and display machine or parking meter.

Always take the keys out, lock the car and put the keys deep in your pocket especially in a busy public place like a car park.

This winter, thieves will once again be looking for drivers who have left their car running on frosty mornings, to warm up. Every year hundreds of cars disappear in this way.

Every car insurance policy has a clause that negates any claim for theft of a car where the keys were left in the ignition and you won't get a sympathetic hearing if your has disappeared in this way.

But it's not just cars that disappear. If you leave your car with anything on display, such as a laptop, gifts or packages of any sort, sat-nav or even shoes or other clothing, you are asking for a brick to be pushed through a window and your property stolen.

Many insurers are cutting back on the limits of personal property taken in this way and unless you have an extension on your home insurance to cover property away from your home, you will have only yourself to blame.

Quick tips

Never, ever leave keys in the car.
Park in well lit car parks that ideally, have reasonable security such as CCTV.
Fit your car with a Tracker – that will help recover the car if it is stolen.
Consider using a simple visual locking equipment, such as a 'crook-lock' device.
Lock your car in a garage at night if possible; or shut your gates if you leave it on the drive.
Never leave property on display in the car. Lock it in the boot or better still, don't leave anything in the car at all.
Collect all your purchases at the end of the day. (Most retailers will allow this.) Don't make repeated trips to your car filling it up with items just waiting to be taken. Reverse into parking spaces - It makes it more difficult for thieves to open the boot or tailgate.

Courtesy Cars In The UK - Fact vs Myth

A vehicle related theft occurs every 21 seconds in the UK
Over half of those taken without consent are never restored to their owner.

How would you cope if your vehicle was stolen tonight?

We sincerely hope that it never happens to you, but the fact is that no matter how much is thrown at vehicle protection, the determined vehicle thief continues to ply his trade. In the time it takes to read this article, three more vehicles will be stolen or taken without the owners consent.

MYTH: Every customer who has their vehicle stolen in the UK will be provided a replacement vehicle by their car insurance company.

FACT: It is remarkable that only a small number of insurance companies offer any kind of solution, leaving the vast majority of the 30 million UK motorists exposed.

MYTH: But surely I will get a courtesy vehicle?

FACT: No courtesy vehicle will be provided whilst your car remains un-recovered (typically 10-14 days, if at all) and NOT when your vehicle is written off.

We are delighted to introduce you to Theft Protect , not previously available in the UK, protecting you in the unhappy event of your vehicle being stolen. For a small annual fee, you can now obtain a like-for-like replacement vehicle facility for up to 28 days allowing you to get mobile again with the minimum of fuss.

For more information click http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/intro.html

Or visit the Theft Protect Website http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/

How Much Does Theft Protect Cost?

Prices start from as little as £25 plus IPT (insurance premium tax - 5%) depending on the group of replacement vehicle and the hire period required. The agent that contacts you will tell you the price.

How Do I Get Theft Protect Cover?

Theft Protect is available from through our national network of FSA authorised insurance brokers, finance companies or motor dealers.

E mail us from these pages enquiries@theftprotect.co.uk or via the website http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/

for details of how you can obtain cover now. Theft Protect will contact you with details of your nearest authorised agent.

Alternatively, click the "Contact Me" button below. Complete the form that opens and click send e mail. We will e mail you details & you can be on cover within a few minutes.

(Theft Protect is only available to UK residents)

Questions about Theft Protect? Again, click the "Contact Me" button below and complete the enquiry form that opens. We will respond to your query as quickly as possible.

With Theft Protect you’re covered.

A Minute For Madelaine McCann

2009-11-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

We would call upon every visitor to these pages to click the link below to Inspector Gadgets' site to see the post he has entered -

http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/4258/

On the site you will see a short video about Madelaine. There are some interesting comments below that post. One of which has a lists some very good points. There is a lot of unanswered questions about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and we sincerely hope that someday the world will know the full truth of the matter and pray for her safe return to her parents.

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF CAR CRIME

2009-10-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Whilst fewer incidents of car crime are reported by the police, all the evidence from other sources such as the insurance industry and the car security sector suggests that car crime is on the increase.

The team at Nice 1 Limited are pleased to provide a free link here to the "Which" report on how to avoid car crime. This report will also be repeated in the side bar menu to the right of these pages.

What's in the guide?

Four key sections bring you up to speed on the latest car crime techniques and how to avoid becoming a victim.

· A new era of car crime We asked police to tell us about the changing nature of car crime.
· Common crimes A look at some of the most common types of car crime.
· Car park safety Car park safety: tips for keeping your car and valuables safe when you leave them unattended.
· Buying second hand How to avoid ending up out of pocket when buying second hand cars.

To download your free guide with our compliments click here

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Ltd

Nice 1 are the providers of Theft Protect, a unique and affordable insurance policy that provides a like for like replacement vehicle for up to 28 days in the event of your vehicle being stolen. See the links in the side bar for more information about Theft Protect.

THE SPOILED YOUNGER GENERATION IS SPOILING OUR SOCIETY

2009-10-24T06:28:00.001-07:00

Dr Aric Sigman

Thanks to http://200weeks.police999.com/ for inspiring this post.

In a book published this week called "The Spoiled Generation" psychologist Dr Aric Sigman explores the erosion of discipline, respect and civility in the youth of the UK and the negaive effect it is having on society.

Dr Sigman accurately captures the growing sense of unease felt by a large percentage of the UK public. He said “Children of the spoilt generation are used to having their demands met by their parents and others in authority, and that in turn makes them unprepared for the realities of adult life. This has consequences in every area of society, from the classroom to the workplace, the streets to the criminal courts and rehabilitation clinics".

He suggests that children & young people’s rights must be curtailed and a firm hand is urgently needed if they are to be properly guided into adulthood.

Dr Sigman, a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, continued: “Authority is a basic health requirement in children’s lives. But, while children have become increasingly ‘empowered’ in terms of legislation and rights, far from being protected, they are actually suffering in ways that could never have been foreseen.”

The police see the consequences of the "Spoiled Generation" every day on the street of the UK. - Britain now has the highest rates of child depression, child-on-child murder, underage pregnancy, obesity, violent and anti-social behaviour and pre-teen alcoholism since records began. A 44% rise in assaults on police by children is surely a symptom of a much greater disease that will follow if not treated fast.

Respect for law and order and authority is fading rapidly as parents and schools fail in their duty to their children. The criminal justice system including the police are then just one of the groups of agencies that deal with the fall out. The empowering of children, however well intended, has served to undermine the authority of parents, teachers, police officers and other authority figures.

If the Government are to start the task of fixing our society, then surely there is no better place to start than here. By instilling some firm handed forgotten disciplines within the "spoiled sector" of our youth, there will at least be a glimmer of hope that the UK may once again be a pleasant place to live.

If it is down to our politicians to start the ball rolling, we'll not hold our breath.

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

PHIL JAGIELKA HAS CAR STOLEN AT KNIFEPOINT

2009-10-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

A Premiership footballer has been confronted by knife-wielding burglars in a terrifying raid on his home.

Injured Everton star Phil Jagielka, 27, was watching his team on TV when three men burst into the mansion in Knutsford, Cheshire.

The married star, a father-of-two, was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his Range Rover.

A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police said: "Three men gained entry to a house in Knutsford.

"The homeowner was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his Range Rover car.

"Fortunately nobody was hurt during the incident and the car was found abandoned a short distance away."

The robbery took place at around 8pm on Wednesday as Everton were playing Hull City in the Carling Cup.

Jagielka is the latest in a growing list of footballers whose homes have been targeted by raiders.

Last month the Blackburn Rovers midfielder Vince Grella was also held at knife-point when thieves smashed their way into his home in Wilmslow, also Cheshire.

Other players to have been targeted in the past include Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT POLICING IN THE UK?

2009-10-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

One of the better police blogs is http://200weeks.police999.com/ which burst into life on September 9th 2005. The site was created by a rEgular police officer who has dedicated his life to the force and area that he serves.

In his own words, the site author has spent his entire life "in the trenches" as a front line officer. In February 2009, the author hung up his boots and truncheon, and after 30 years service, became a civilian in his police force control room, a vantage point from where he is able to continue his insightful reports on policing as it really is in the UK today.

A prolific and intelligent writer, "200" posts regular articles that provide an honest and informed view of the challenges that face police officers in their attempts to deliver a fair system of justice, despite an ever increasing burden of bureacuracy and idiotic procedures.

The articles reprinted below are two fine examples from "200" of real world of policing in Britain in 2009.

NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH

The dreadful case of Fiona Pilkington whose life was blighted by anti social youths on her estate to such an extent that she took her own child’s life & committed suicide by setting fire to her car as they sat in it, will have some far-reaching repurcussions. The surprise is that, in the two years since this tragic event happened, there has been just about zero change in the way police deal with anti-social behaviour.

I spend every late shift in every town I control not sending police officers to anti social youths. This is despite the fact that I know what an effect it can have on people’s lives let alone their peace. I’m almost ashamed to say but I have anti social behaviour in my street & I never report it to the police, the reason purely & simply is, I know there is little chance of the police arriving before the youths have moved on. If it’s gotten too bad I have gone out there myself & given some ‘advice’, though I don’t like doing this in my own street. (I tend to climb over my back fence & appear from somewhere not near my house so they don’t know where I live).

The apalling crux of the matter is one of mathematics. We have X-amount of officers & we get Y-amount of jobs which take Z-amount of time. When Y x Z > X we cannot possibly get to all the jobs on time, if at all. We either have to make people wait, in some cases days, or we just don’t go.

The problem with antisocial behaviour is that it doesn’t fit in with any targets & we don’t get to tick any boxes. When Jay sends a text message to his ex-girlfriend Leah saying she’s a slag, that’s threats to violence or damage, malicious communications or a domestic, all of which are recordable & may result in a detected crime. When Mrs Miggins is fed up to the back teeth with a bunch of teenage yobs who spend every night shouting & swearing outside her bedroom & pissing up against her fence, that’s just a bit of ASB. Guess which one gets an officer sent to it whether they want one or not & which one gets closed off 2 hours after the youths have gone elsewhere with a ‘no officer available’ closing.

Mrs Pilkington did not have the protection afforded to certain groups within society. Had she been black or Asian, Jewish or gay, she would have had an officer every single occasion she phoned. There are teams within each police force whose sole job it is to look at ‘hate’ crimes against minority groups. I well remember a case of some kids throwing snowballs at a Jewish shop, on a day when the kids were throwing snowballs at everyone & anyone & we didn’t have the resources to deal with all the accidents & crime let alone kids chucking snowballs. Most of the snowball jobs just got closed off because there was absolutely no chance of us sending anyone; we had more important & immediate things to do. The Jewish shop had to remain open because the racism word had been mentioned. Within an hour the Inspector in charge of the diversity unit was on the phone to the control room inspector demanding to know why this racist incident hadn’t been assigned within the 1 hour requirement of force policy.

Nobody phoned up from any police unit who sit on their arses looking at logs in some office somewhere at HQ on behalf of all the other people being taunted by kids with snow. The fact that Mrs Pilkington had a disabled daughter, much of which taunting was aimed at, doesn’t seem to have cut any ice with the local constabulary.

I’ve blogged before about the unfairness of diversity policy & have argued that everyone should be treated on their own merits only. It completely baffles me that, for instance, a 6′6 Afro-Caribbean nightclub bouncer with years in the nighttime entertainment trade, who gets called a rude name is entitled to a better service than a vulnerable teenage girl who may be, unknowingly to us, considering suicide because of some bullying. How can a rule written on a policy somewhere at police HQ possibly differentiate between the effect on these two people & class one as somehow more deserving of a higher response than the other. Where is the leeway to attend based on the individual potential effect on the victim?

Just occasionally, someone will come up with a local operation to target antisocial behaviour. Extra resources will be called in & they will be tasked for ASB jobs alone, unavailable for RTCs, assaults or domestics. This is a clear acceptance of the importance of tackling such behaviour, but if it is important, why isn’t important all the time & on every estate.

Antisocial behaviour is the key to so many more problems in society. Someone who grows up not having consequences for their behaviour will learn that they are entitled to do what they want, when they want, to whom they want. They will grow up with a me, me, me attitude & will spend the rest of their lives demanding everything they can get. A child who grows up to respect other peoples needs & rights will end up as net givers to society.

When I was on the street I actually enjoyed helping to make other people’s lives a little better. One of the reasons I wanted to join the police was to help people who couldn’t help themselves. I held that belief until the day I retired. I still believe it. I am unable to do it because I do not have the resources nor the will from those who run the show to sort the matter out.

After the story of Mrs Pilkington, I will be wondering if the next job I fail to send an officer to will end up with someone murdering their child & topping themselves. That’s simply not fair & I don’t have the power to address it properly.

Time will tell whether the fallout from Mrs Pilkington will make any difference.

AND SO IT GOES . . . .

Twenty years ago Mrs Pilkington would have had a much better service than she got in the years leading up to 2007. There were many thousands less police officers. In March this year there were 144,000 police officers. In March 1987 there were 120,000.

We have 24,000 more police officers yet those available for front line policing have been slashed dramatically. I don’t have access to any figures for the amount of officers available for day-to-day policing calls so I can only go by my own experience. In 1987 one division I worked in paraded 18 officers split between 4 police stations. This did not include 3 rural cars which covered the villages, 1 officer in every neighbourhood beat & a rural officers who shared all the villages between them. We put out 9 patrol cars in the division plus a walker in each of the town centres & the police stations were open 24 hours a day.

Now those same 4 towns have a maximum of 8 officers between them, we are lucky if they can put out 5 cars in the whole division, all of the police stations are closed longer than they are open.

Back in the day the village bobby lived on the patch & knew everyone & everything there was to be known. He probably looked after 2 or 3 villages. Every estate had a neighbourhood officer who lived on their patch, they often had a little police office attached to their house, they too knew everyone, they were a vast source of information. What they knew & what they did couldn’t be recorded in an exel spreadsheet yet their value to policing was enormous.

Then someone in a wendy house somewhere decided that the only way to measure the success of an organisation was to match its performance against a written down set of criteria & the way to do this was to count beans. Suddenly, the value of everything was measured in beans & rural/neighbourhood officers didn’t grow any beans on their patches. Add to that the fact that they lived in expensive police houses.

The theory went that if you did away with neighbourhood & rural officers not only could you pull them all back to the nick where they could produce a few beans, you could also save the expense of maintaining their houses, sell them off & plough lots of lovely lolly into all the new & dynamic projects which were about to hit the world of UK policing. We lost a generation of intelligence which we are only now getting back, amazingly enough, through local PCSOs, who will, within a few years, be just as valuable a tool to police intelligence as the old village bobby.

It made good political – read voting – sense to increase the number of bobbies, so every government promised more. More bobbies means more votes ‘cos we all want more bobbies on the streets, only they never made the streets. They all went into disparate little ‘remit’ teams. You know the teams, they are the ones you ask for help when you’re struggling to meet all the frontline priorities who turn round & say “sorry, mate, not my remit”.

So we had the burglary squad, set up to specifically target burglary beans, the robbery squad busy collecting robbery beans, sexual offences squad, paedophile squad, computer crime squad, diversity squad, more officers means more potential for naughty goings-on so the rubber heel squad was boosted. We had the serious crime units, the bloody serious crime units, organised crime, it goes on. Then there are the units who monitor the other units, who count the beans, who supervise those who count the beans, who make sure the right beans are being counted.

So every time an Inspector of Constabulary comes a-calling & says, “now look here Mr Chief Constable, your force is doing particularly low in detections of spanner-wielding credit-card thieves” we have to have a department whose soul aim is to reduce spanner-wielding credit card thefts.

The problem for those on the front line is that most of the calls we get don’t lead to all the remit-beans. Nobody measures the prevention of crime, nobody measures kids who piss up your garage & chuck eggs through your windows, nobody measures depressed people who threaten suicide but never go through with it. You don’t get a bean for sitting outside a row of shops stopping the kids from spitting at people with special needs.

And if they’re not measured, they’re not important.

If the next Inspector of Constabulary comes round & says “Now look here Mr Chief Constable, the behaviour of teenage yobs in this area is apalling, this chart shows a 150% increase in bad language in front of old ladies, get it sorted” you’ll have so many shiny-arses out of their offices that the problem could be sorted in a year.

It ain’t gonna happen, though.

COMMENT

The authors of this site have been contacted by senior politicians who are capable of introducing effective criminal justice reforms. They tell us that they are interested and paying regular attention to the content on these pages. Whilst the statistical analysis contained in the reports from these pages is our work, the majority of the real life experiences are inspired by or drawn from people at the coal face of British policing, such as the author of the 200 site, Inspector Gadget, PC Bloggs and others contained in the "Thin Blue Line" links opposite.

To the politicians, Home Office civil servants and senior officers that may read these pages, we would invite you to spend some time reading some of the enlightening articles contained on these and other front line policing sites. Be prepared to confront the real world head on through these pages. We invite you to step out of your environment for a while, so that you may empathise with the challenges and obstructions faced by the front line officer. The content is an often colourful, honest view of the framework within which our guys at the coal face of society perform their increasingly difficult duty.

Listening is not enough. Take what you hear to heart. Then take the effective action only you are empowered to take, to make the necessary reforms that may ultimately restore public confidence in the Criminal Justice System that should be the bedrock of a decent, peaceful society.

We know the challenge is a difficult one that will require all your reserves of courage and direct thought. We know it involves accepting openly and honestly that mistakes have been made. Only by applying this level of honesty and transparency in any reforms you consider are appropriate, will your efforts bear the fruit in transforming society.

Britain is broken. You have the power to fix it. Cut through the distractions and obstructions that have plagued modern policing. Let us hear less of the minority projects and more of firm and effective use of police resources. Show us evidence that our taxes are being well spent, that the ratio of frontline officers actually available for real policework, dramatically exceeds those tied up counting beans, creating flow charts and ivory tower projects to justify the perpetuation of departments crammed with wasted resources.

Spend our money wisely. Show us the real value we deserve to see. You will find you have a much greater degree of public support and confidence from the wider public than you may have imagined.

We hope to see evidence of your efforts very soon.

The Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

PETITION TO BRING THE MURDERER OF WPC FLETCHER TO JUSTICE

2009-10-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

WPC Yvonne Fletcher was shot and killed outside the libyans people bureau in 1984. Her killer was released from the bureau and returned to Libya a few days later. In view of the compassion shown by the UK to the lockerbie bomber, her killer should be returned to the UK to face justice.

A petition has been raised on the site http://www.number10.gov.uk/

To support this petition click http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/YvonneFletcher/

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

Cash For Crash Fraudster staged almost 100 car crashes and cost insurers £1.6m

2009-10-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

• Mohammed Patel charged £500 a time to stage 'accidents'

• Office workers noticed high number of crashes at roundabout

A "crash for cash" fraudster who lived the high life on the proceeds of staged accidents and cost the insurance industry £1.6m was jailed today.

Mohammed Patel, 24, charged £500 a time to stage accidents which enabled fraudsters to claim an average of £17,000 from insurers. He staged at least 93 crashes, earning himself around £46,000, Manchester's Minshull Street crown court heard.

Patel, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, admitted one count of conspiracy to defraud, six counts of dangerous driving and four counts of driving while disqualified. He was jailed for four and a half years and banned from driving for three and a half years.

William Baker, prosecuting, said Patel's earnings funded an "Aladdin's cave" at the home of his unemployed girlfriend, Ettorina Hay. The court heard the pair enjoyed luxurious foreign holidays and drove expensive cars.

Baker said the scam was exposed by suspicious office workers at Bovis Homes, who overlooked the Eden Point roundabout on the A34 at Cheadle Hulme. He said that in the latter part of 2005 "they became suspicious that road traffic accidents were being staged" because of the number and similarities of crashes.

Baker, describing the set-up, said: "One vehicle colliding with another at low speed with minor damage and often the same person driving the lead vehicle. They told drivers of the rear vehicles they thought they were the victim of fraud."

Baker said: "Mohammed Patel staged the road traffic accidents. He drove cars on to the roundabout and then stopped them so abruptly the vehicle behind could not avoid a collision.

Fraudulent claims, submitted by people not present at the scene whom Patel purported to be, were then made. Claims would include compensation for injuries such as whiplash, damage to the vehicle, a hire car, and storage of the damaged vehicle.

Baker said Patel staged the accidents between May 2005 and August 2008. Patel was arrested in Bolton on 7 August last year and gave a prepared statement to police. He pleaded guilty to the charges.

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

CRIME MAPPING - IS POLICE RECORDED CRIME A TRUE MEASURE?

2009-10-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

Click on the map or the link in the sidebar

An interactive map offering detailed crime statistics on every street in England and Wales crashed hours after its launch yesterday.

Those attempting to visit the site, http://maps.police.uk/ were shown an automated message saying it was temporarily unavailable.

The teething problems surfaced as Home Office minister David Hanson officially unveiled the website during a visit to a regeneration project in south west London. He was joined by National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) deputy chief executive Steve Mortimore, whose colleagues drew up the map.

The website aims to offer members of the public unprecedented access to information about crimes taking place in their neighbourhood. The national map follows on the heels of regional versions created by the 43 forces across England and Wales.

Users should be able to access figures on levels of burglary, robbery, violence, vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour. They can also compare one area against another and compare figures against the same period the previous year to see if crime is getting better or worse. The website also offers messages from senior officers and links to local policing priorities and information about forthcoming crime-fighting events.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The high level of public interest in the new national crime map has put temporary pressure on the website. Urgent work is under way to resolve this and the website should be working again shortly."

The launch of the “Crime Mapping” facility, http://maps.police.uk/ unites the crime statistics of the 43 police forces of England & Wales under one software banner for the first time.

This is long overdue. Earlier in the week an article posted on http://thinblulineuk.blogspot.com// complained that the Home Office were allowing 8 forces responsible for 40% of the population and 48% of crime to use their own software. Cynical perhaps, but we suspected that this was yet another Home Office strategy to prevent the general public from accessing the full picture of current recorded crime, and also continuing the “fudging” of figures.

After the shaky start when the facility kept freezing up, it started to work more efficiently this evening. We have attached a composite report of the 43 forces current recorded crime for Burglary, Car Crime, Robbery and All recorded crime. On completion, we are not one bit convinced that the police recording of crime is now an accurate reflection of crime in the UK.

A few observations.

• The “All Crime” monthly average for the most recent three months is 357,365 incidents
• On that basis, the full year forecast will be 4,288,380 crimes
• In 2008 the recorded crime incident was 4,703,814 (-415,434)
• Will we be expected to believe a crime reduction of 13.4% ??
• This is more than a months full crime reporting for the nation!

Click on table below to see larger image

• In 2008 as in previous years, the BCS estimates of crime were over twice that of recorded crime
• Front line officers tell us that if anything, the volume of crime is increasing NOT decreasing
• Crimes are often misclassified… robbery downgraded to theft, car theft included in burglary when keys are stolen on egress
• How many crimes are not now reported as such, if the victim does not insist? (Citizen focus?)
• Has public confidence sunk so low that they have simply lost all faith in reporting?
• The BCS last year suggested that reporting had dropped as low as 33% for some offences, to 38% overall

To quote from the Home Office BCS : “For the crime types it covers, the BCS provides a better reflection of the true extent of household and personal crime than police recorded statistics because the survey includes crimes that are not reported to or recorded by the police. The primary purpose of the BCS is to provide national level analysis but some headline figures are available at regional and police force area level. The BCS is also a better indicator of long-term trends than police recorded crime because it is unaffected by changes in levels of reporting to the police or police recording practices”.

• This implies that the Government will place importance on police recorded crime only when it suits them. i.e. If recorded crime shows a decrease, with all the measures introduced to achieve that.
• The table below shows a steady decline in reporting of overall crime in the last 12 years, coincidentally the years of New Labour.
• Does this explain the “gap” of crimes that seem to have appeared in the reduction of reported crime?
• With so many new offences created, we are advised that it is simple to reallocate a reported offence to a lesser category.
• Section 5 Public Order Offences (crimeable) are now commonly demoted to drunk and disorderly (no crime report)
• Of those interviewed by BCS, 76% said they did not report because they felt the police would not/could not do anything

Click on table below to see larger image

• Is that what the Criminal Justice System has come to, that the public won’t report because they have lost heart?
• Could this be a major contributory factor to the decrease in recorded crime?
• Has the massive surge in bureaucracy resulted in the massive misreporting of crime?
• How timely that the Government have pushed through the alignment of 43 forces data for current crime
• Are they planning yet another media spin about how crime has been dramatically decreased thanks to their effort?
• The recorded crime shows reductions of 5% burglary, 18% car crime, 7% for robbery and overall crime
• The target, performance and senior officer bonus culture will continue to “fudge” until stopped.
• We are guessing that a Home Office release will be imminent.

We wish we could accompany all of this skepticism with a dose of solutions, but unfortunately, we cannot yet see an answer. Clearly, the crime recording system is flawed and unreliable as a measure of crime. Detections are similarly distorted it would seem. It will be a courageous team that arrives at an acceptable solution that will encourage confidence to return, in the face of a Government and senior management teams that will apply many more dirty tricks to keep their noses buried in that trough. The BCS is only based on a trawl of 46,000 members of the public which hardly seems representative.

We would advocate and support the proposal to make crime statistics properly independent. This would remove responsibility for compiling and publishing crime figures from the Home Office. The responsibility should be placed with the Office for National Statistics which is totally independent. The pre-release access that Ministers and political advisers get to crime statistics should be abolished – so the public would be the first to get an honest account of the facts. Any politician can talk about resuscitating public trust.

The party that demonstrates their intentions and follows it up with decisive transparent and honest action that is genuinely in the public interest, will have the best chance of achieving it.

Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Limited

UK MOTORIST & CAR INSURANCE ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-09-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Click image for larger view

THEFT PROTECT FOR UK MOTORISTS

For further information, or to find out where you can buy Theft Protect cover call 0844 414 2286

or email : enquiries@nice-1.co.uk

Alternatively visit http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/

Car stolen in man's final hours

2009-09-07T14:00:00.001-07:00

A cancer patient had his car stolen from his Birmingham home while his family members were at his side during his final few hours, police said.

Thieves entered Scott Wright's home and took the car keys and his mother's handbag as the family gathered at his bedside on Wednesday night.

Mr Wright, 26, of Holliday Road, in Erdington, died the next morning.

To read the full story click here

POLICE AND CRIME IN THE UK

2009-09-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

The team at Nice 1 Ltd, providers of Theft Protect replacement vehicle solutions, are delighted to announce the blistering launch of their new site "The Thin Blue Line", aiming to support the front line police officers of the UK. To visit the new site click here

The site collects valuable experiences about real life crime and policing issues, and combines them with the crime analysis efforts of our sister site "Car Crime UK" to raise consumer awareness about the true picture of crime.

To see a few of the new articles posted on The Thin Blue Line click the link(s) below :-

Crime Statistics Hide The Truth - click here
Focus report on police resources - click here
Recent articles by police from the frontline - click here
Police strength disputed - click here

Please feel free to visit the sites and share your thoughts about crime and policing.

Kind Regards

The Crime Analysis Team
Nice 1 Ltd

NICE 1! - Theft Protect Comes To Aid Of Expectant Midlands Mum

2009-08-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

“Ms J” is expecting a baby, with only four weeks to go before her little bundle is due to arrive.

She returned home this week, to discover that her own vehicle, a Renault Megane, had been stolen. Neighbours told her, that the brazen thieves had hitched the vehicle onto a tow truck in broad daylight, and dragged it away from her home in Darlaston, West Midlands.

Ms J was naturally distraught. With four weeks to go, the last thing she needed was to have her mobility taken away by heartless criminals. She contacted her broker, Bromwich Insurance, to report the incident, and they gently reminded her that she had purchased a Theft Protect policy when she renewed her motor insurance.

One call to the guys at Nice 1, and her Theft Protect policy kicked in immediately. A brand new rental car was delivered to a grateful Ms J within a few hours.

Ms J said : “I want to thank the staff at Bromwich for including Theft Protect cover in my insurance, I don’t know how I would have managed over the next few weeks without transport, it’s really taken a load off my mind.”

Theft Protect is a like-for-like replacement vehicle insurance policy, that provides a hire vehicle for up to 28 days in the event of a theft or write off incident. The policy promoted by insurance brokers, motor manufacturers and dealers around the UK, enhancing service levels and satisfying the motorist need for a replacement vehicle when they need it most.

To find out more about Theft Protect, click here to visit the website. To arrange for cover, contact the team at Nice 1 from the contact details at the foot of this page and we will arrange for one of our intermediaries to get in touch with you.

If you are a broker, motor manufacturer, dealer or finance company and would like to offer Theft Protect to your customers click here to e mail the company.

Theft By Towing

This is becoming an increasingly popular way for criminals to steal cars. To the onlooker, the activity often looks innocent enough, an apparently everyday occurrence.

This can either be done by hitching the car to a tow truck (sometimes under the guise of enforcing a parking fine to avoid suspicion) and towing away, or by simply pushing the car away after forcing entry to the car to release the parking brake.

Minimise the chances of theft by towing or lifting by turning your wheels towards the kerb and leaving the car in gear & apply a steering lock before parking. This will make towing your car more difficult for thieves who steal your car using a tow or lorry. Park in your garage or driveway at home and park in a busy area when out and about.

*Ms J is a real person and these are real events that took place. The team at Nice 1 vigorously protect the indentity of their customers, who might fear further attention from car criminals.

"CASH FOR CRASH" - TOP 20 HOTSPOTS

2009-08-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

See the latest Crash For Crash article, visit our sister site at Car Crime UK by clicking here

NICE 1 PRESS RELEASE VIA PR LOG

2009-08-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

To view press release click here :-

http://www.prlog.org/10311862-car-crime-uk-going-up-not-down.html

CAR CRIME UK - FREE Car Security Checker

2009-08-12T02:46:00.001-07:00

FREE ONLINE CAR SECURITY CHECK

The team at Nice 1, providers of Theft Protect Replacement Vehicle Insurance, are delighted to provide access to a great new resource for UK motorists that is totally FREE.

Type a postcode and registration number into this free online tool, confirm the vehicle make and model, and you are then presented with a security rating for that car and the location it is kept.

This solves the age old mystery for UK motorists – how to get free access to information about how safe from crime their vehicle is, or how safe the vehicle they are planning to buy is, according to the area where it’s parked in and the type of vehicle it is.

This unique tool also provides the ABI security ranking, and explains how that system rates male and female drivers according to age. Few people know that a female under 24 or a male under 30 will get discounts for driving vehicles between one and 20 ABI groups. Insurance will go up rapidly after ABI 20, and most insurers will decline above ABI 33. Females over 24 will get discounts for driving vehicles between one and 33 ABI and insurance will go up rapidly after ABI 33. Males over 30 will get discounts for driving vehicles between one and 33 ABI and insurance will go up rapidly after 33.

The security rating is an estimate based on government and industry vehicle crime data. The data is combined to take account of where the vehicle is kept overnight, the vehicle's theft desirability and manufactured security. Scores range from 'excellent' - nine stars or more - to 'extremely poor' - one star. An 'excellent' score has an approximate probability of less than 1-in-1000 chance of being stolen, broken into or vandalised over the year and 'extremely poor' has a greater than 1-in-10 chance."

The tool draws its data from the ABI and the Thatcham vehicle security site. Thatcham is the research and development unit owned by the UK insurance industry.

So, whether you are thinking of buying a new car, getting or renewing your car insurance, or you simply want to find out how secure your car is, click the link below or to the right of the page.

CHECK CAR SECURITY NOW – CLICK THIS LINK

Click the back button to return to these pages once you're done.

TOP 10 SAFEST & RISKIEST PLACES IN THE UK FOR CAR THEFT

2009-08-10T02:12:00.000-07:00

Click on map to see larger - hit back button to return here

The team at Nice 1 Limited regularly produce car crime information for the UK motoring public and to assist the marketing efforts of our authorised Theft Protect agents.

For the first time in the UK, Nice 1 are delighted to produce the 2009 Car Crime figures by Post Code area. The information contained on the map above and tables below is extracted from the full Home Office statistics. Insurance companies and intermediaries frequently publish similar data, however, their data is only drawn from the sample of their own customers.

The information reprinted here is the most accurate and current information compiled from the car crime incidents recorded by the UK police forces. Full UK car crime data is available, both as incident counts per town or city, and as the detail below, on the basis of a count per 1000 head of population. The national average for car theft is around 7 per 1000. The map and tables below provide an indication as to the vulnerability to car theft offences in the safest and riskest places in the UK.

THE TOP 10 RISKIEST PLACES FOR CAR THEFT

THE TOP 10 SAFEST PLACES FOR CAR THEFT

Nice 1 Ltd collate car crime statistics from Home Office and police sources in order to provide the UK motoring public with the most accurate picture of car crime across the country and in specific areas. In addition to the offences per head of population, information is also gathered about the number of incidents recorded per town and city. Further details may be requested by e mail at the contact address at the foot of the page or by clicking the contact me button elsewhere on these pages.

Car Crime UK - "Car Key Theft" - First Of A New Series With Sir Trevor McDonald

2009-07-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, Trevor McDonald presented the first of a new series on ITV last night, which takes a look at the work of specialist police car crime teams, focusing on two areas - Manchester and Devon and Cornwall.

To watch the program, click here or the image of Trevor above. A shorter, 6 minute version appears lower down the page.

The program presents a front row seat into the work of the police fighting the battle against car crime in the UK.

As regular readers of these pages will know, the team at Nice 1 provide regular updates for the UK motorist on car crime in your area. This includes information about the most popular cars stolen by car thieves, top tips to keep your car secure, and choosing your car insurance provider.

CAR KEY THEFT

Following the release of the latest crime figures by the Home Office, Nice 1 are busy analysing the report so that we can keep you informed over the coming weeks.

"Car Key Theft" as it has become known, is an increasingly worrying development in the modus operandi of the UK car criminal. Improvements in car security have made the theft of newer cars more difficult, so they take the dramatic next step, breaking into your house to steal the keys.

The trend is more worrying than the crime figures reveal though.

Some 18,599 cars were stolen last year by stealing keys. However, these numbers are reported as "Burglary Dwelling House" or "Robbery" (for incidents such as car jacking). This has the effect of artificially supressing the car crime numbers.

One of the Home Office reports suggest car theft has decreased by 7.4% in 2008 against the 2007 incidents. When the 18,599 incidents are added back to the car theft numbers, it reverses the trend to a 4% increase.

A copy of the Nice 1 analysis report has been sent to the Shadow Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP for his comments.

Nice 1 are the providers of Theft Protect, a unique like-for-like replacement vehicle insurance policy designed for victims of car theft. Cover is available for up to 28 days, with a wide range of replacement vehicles to keep you mobile in the unhappy event that your car is stolen.

Theft Protect is available through a network of UK Insurance brokers, motor manufacturers, dealers and car finance companies.

Considering the UK Scrappage Scheme To Buy Your New Vehicle?

2009-07-11T15:20:00.001-07:00

The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) have this week published the latest UK Scrappage sales.

Much has been reported about how the scheme has had a positive impact on the UK Motor sector and this is most welcome. To download the latest car registration figures for June and 2009 to date, listing all the manufacturers, click here.

In this article we examine the precise impact those sales have had on individual manufacturer performance and the sector as a whole. To read the article click here

If you are considering the UK scrappage scheme as a means of sourcing your new vehicle, click here to read the free Government guidelines and useful tips about buying your new car.

It is likely that a car will be the second most valuable asset you will own. Car crime is rising in the current economic climate so protect yourself with Theft Protect Replacement Vehicle Insurance. You can find more details on these pages or by visiting the Theft protect website at http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/

Theft Protect is available from all good insurance brokers, motor manufacturers, dealers and car finance companies.

We would strongly recommend that when you buy car insurance, or your new car, ask for Theft Protect to be included.

Take Advantage of the UK Car Scrappage Scheme - Whatever Your Credit History

2009-07-06T02:28:00.000-07:00

Advantage Finance Limited
have announced a new car finance scheme to help owners of older cars purchase a new car using the £2,000 UK Car Scrappage Scheme allowance -
whatever their credit history - bad, good or indifferent…

If you’re looking to buy a new car using the UK Car Scrappage Scheme £2,000 allowance but have had credit problems in the past, then Advantage’s Car Finance Scheme is the answer.

No cash is needed as your old car is your full deposit under the scheme and you can borrow up to £6,000.

Cars currently offered under the Advantage UK Car Scrappage Finance Scheme include models from the Renault, Fiat, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Seat & Chevrolet ranges.

The only stipulations are:-

You are 22 to 65 years old (at the end of the agreement);
Are in full time employment or self employed;
Earn more than £850 per month; and,
Have a full UK/EU driving licence;
You must have a qualifying scrappage vehicle.

If you tick the above boxes, then you could qualify for a special finance scheme designed to help people with bad and poorer credit histories buy a brand new car under the Scrappage Scheme.

The Scrappage Scheme

The UK Government's 'scrappage scheme' is designed to encourage growth in the sale of new vehicles to those customers who currently drive older vehicles. Advantage Finance Ltd is delighted to support this scheme by announcing an exclusive partnership with the motor dealer group Stoneacre.

Advantage Managing Director, Guy Thompson, commented "Many customers are, unfortunately, unable to participate in the scrappage scheme due to not having access to the funds needed to cover the balance remaining on their chosen car. This partnership will allow many Stoneacre customers to take advantage of the generous allowances on offer, even if they are unable qualify for manufacturer finance deals". More information can be found here.

MAKE SURE YOUR NEW CAR THROUGH ADVANTAGE IS COVERED BY THEFT PROTECT

The team at Nice 1 Limited are delighted to have been working with Advantage Finance since August 2007.

From the Advantage website :-

Advantage Finance offers a range of protection products alongside its core Hire Purchase facility, which enable customers to choose to protect important aspects of their vehicle purchase. We have recently been appointed as a distributor for a unique new product - Theft Protect, which is designed to provide an immediate hire vehicle to a customer in the event of their vehicle being stolen......a facility seldom available directly from motor insurers themselves.

Operations Director, Keith Charlton, commented: "Our customers value the fact that we can provide peace of mind in the event of many different vehicle related uncertainties, and as such Theft Protect is a great addition to our portfolio of products. We are also delighted to be the first finance company to offer this facility".

Contact Links :-

Advantage Finance Home : Click here
Advtantage Contact Page : Click here
Theft Protect Home : Click here
Theft Protect Contact : Click here

Phone: +44 (0)844 414 2285

Email: enquiries@theftprotect.co.uk

Police warn drivers not to hide car keys at home... to avoid violent clashes with burglars

2009-06-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Drivers should not hide their car keys when at home because it risks a violent confrontation with burglars, a policeman has warned.

The controversial advice was given after a case in Clifton, Lancashire, where a 16-year-old burglar murdered a pensioner for his car keys.

Speaking after the killer was jailed for life, a vehicle crime specialist from the Metropolitan Police said: 'I'd rather they broke in and found the keys and nicked my car than have them wake me up in the middle of the night because I value my life and like a good night's sleep.

'If we say hide the keys then we are actually putting people at risk of ending up in the sort of situation which happened in Lancashire.'

However, an official spokesman for the Met said the comments did not represent their official advice, which was to keep car keys out of view.
It is estimated that more than 50 people a day across the UK have their cars stolen by burglars who ransack their homes and drive off with the spoils in their victim's vehicle.

A total of 15,741 cars were stolen last year by burglars who got hold of the keys after breaking into victims' homes while a further 2,858 were taken by force in robberies and car-jackings.

According to insurance and car crime experts that figure is rising at more than 15 per cent a year.

Around 11 per cent of the reported stolen every year are as a result of the keys being taken during a house burglary or violence against drivers.

In recent months police from forces as far a-field as Warwickshire, West Yorkshire, West Mercia, Northampton, Kent and Manchester have all released car key burglary warnings.
'The amount of car key burglaries we have been dealing with has increased significantly,' said Asmar Chaudry, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police.

'It's because security systems in cars have improved so much that the only way you can actually get into them is by using the keys. It's not a problem that's restricted to one place, it's a nationwide phenomena.'

HOW WOULD YOU COPE IF YOUR VEHICLE WAS STOLEN ?

We sincerely hope that it will never happen to you, but the fact remains that no matter how much money is thrown at vehicle protection, the determined vehicle thief continues to ply his trade. In the time it takes to read this page, three more vehicles will be stolen or taken without the owners consent.

MYTH: Every customer who has their vehicle stolen will be provided a replacement vehicle by their insurance company.
FACT: It is remarkable that only a small number of insurance companies offer any kind of solution, leaving the vast majority of the 30 million UK motorists exposed.
MYTH: But surely I will get a courtesy vehicle?
FACT: No courtesy vehicle will be provided whilst your car remains un-recovered (typically 10 - 14 days) and NOT when your vehicle is written off.

We are pleased to introduce you to Theft Protect, not previously available in the UK, protecting you in the unhappy event of your vehicle being stolen. For a small annual premium, you can now obtain a like-for-like replacement vehicle facility for up to 28 days, allowing you to get mobile again with the minimum of fuss should the unhappy event of your vehicle being stolen.

When renewing your car insurance, insist your broker includes Theft Protect.

Click the links on these pages to find out more, or e mail us at enquiries@nice-1.co.uk

SCRAPPAGE SCHEME - THE PITFALLS

2009-06-21T16:04:00.001-07:00

£2,000 incentive will be wiped out in just 88 days due to depreciation

New vehicles purchased under the Government’s car scrappage scheme are set to lose £12.5 billion in depreciation after just one year
Even with the £2,000 scrappage bonus, motorists buying the UK’s top ten bestselling new cars are still set to lose £527 each month due to depreciation in year one, totalling £9.5 billion
On average, the initial £2,000 “cash for bangers” bonus is wiped out in depreciation in just 88 days of owning the new car
Purchasing one of the top ten most popular new cars costs £16,232 on average, this value plummets by 51% in the first year alone
The UK’s best-selling car – the Ford Focus Style – loses £8,635 or 51% of its value in the year one
Drivers are urged to read the small print on car insurance policies as the write off value varies substantially between policies

New research has revealed that vehicle depreciation is set to be the ‘thorn in the side’ of the Government’s new car scrappage scheme. In fact, the £2,000 incentive will be wiped out in depreciation within just 88 days of purchasing a new vehicle.

With 1.5 million motorists tempted to cash in on the scheme, these consumers are set to lose a total of £12.5 billion in just one year. Furthermore, even with the Government’s £2,000 incentive, motorists buying the UK’s top ten best-selling new cars are still set to find themselves £9.5 billion out of pocket due to depreciation in the first year, equating to a loss of £527 each month.

On average, the value of a new vehicle depreciates by £8,321 within the first year of driving it off the forecourt. This means the initial scrappage bonus is wiped out more than four times over within the first year due to the extent it depreciates in worth.

However, despite the harsh reality of vehicle depreciation putting the Government’s £2,000 scrapping bonus in a measly light, the research highlights how consumers are still attracted to the other benefits the scheme may bring. For example, the environmental benefits such an initiative could generate is a persuasive factor, with 37% of interested motorists saying their main reason for participation in the scheme would be to swap their car for a greener model. Interestingly, nearly one in ten (8%) would-be car swappers cited that their main reason for partaking would be to ‘do their bit’ to support the struggling car industry.

Table 1: Depreciation of the UK top ten selling cars (against purchase price)

Double click the table above to see the figures more clearly.

Source: Depreciation figures from sales volumes from SMMT. (Averages weighted against SMMT sales data)

Levels of vehicle depreciation are based on various factors; such as the popularity of the car, the number of vehicles manufactured and the perceived value or quality of the brand among consumers.

The UK’s top ten best selling new cars on average cost £16,232 yet they lose over half their value (51%) in the first year alone. The UK’s best-selling car – the Ford Focus Style – loses £8,625 or 51% of its value in the first year alone. The worst performer is the UK’s 4th best-selling car – the Vauxhall Astra Hatchback Life – which suffers the highest level of depreciation in its first year at 67%.

On a more positive note, the UK’s third best-selling car – the Ford Fiesta Hatchback – depreciates the least, losing 38% of its value in the first year. It also costs a more consumer friendly £12,195.

The Government’s car scrappage scheme has been introduced to give the ailing motor industry a much needed shot in the arm by enticing motorists to participate with a £2,000 incentive. However, whilst this is a positive bonus for consumers, it seems even this payout can’t hold its weight against the magnitude of vehicle depreciation, which dents the value a car from the moment you drive off the forecourt.

When choosing a new vehicle, motorists should ensure they research the rate of depreciation of their desired new car, as research highlights how some of the top ten most popular vehicles hold their value far better than others.

Any motorists tempted to take advantage of the car scrappage scheme should research the cost of insuring their desired new vehicle as a matter of priority, as the cost could be significantly higher than they are currently paying for their old banger. All drivers who are planning to switch their old cars for a newer model need to be prepared for a hike to their premiums of up to 30%.

For example: A 40 year old male with 9 years no claims who currently owns a 1999 Ford Focus Zetec pays £154.66 for his car insurance. If he was to trade this in for a 2009 Ford Focus Zetec his insurance would be hiked to £200.98 – an increase of 29.9% for the new car.

BEWARE OF THE ADMIN COSTS, CANCELLATION FEES & INSURANCE PREMIUM HIKES

Consumers should also be aware of the extra administrative costs associated with changing an existing insurance policy. When it comes to making such a change, there are two choices available; consumers can either buy a completely new policy or amend their existing policy.

Whichever choice is made, a mid-term adjustment fee is likely to be incurred and this costs on average £15.94. Alternatively, a hefty cancellation fee charging anything up to £75 may apply.

These extra charges mean that insurance providers are likely to be the winners of the car scrappage scheme far more so than consumers, as they will cash in on drivers making these mid-term policy adjustments.

Finally, consumers must read the small print on their insurance policy, as the write off value on insurance policies varies substantially. Out of the insurers surveyed only eight providers replace a brand new vehicle written off in an accident within the first 12 months with an identical ‘like for like’ vehicle. Notably, Saga is the only insurer to offer this within a 24 months timeframe. Other providers, such as Admiral, Diamond and Elephant actually factor in depreciation, so if the car is written off in the first month of ownership the driver could lose several thousand pounds.

Table 2: Insurers ‘like-for-like’ replacements

*If vehicle is written off per terms and conditions of policy

Notes:-

1. 1.5 million drivers are likely to take advantage of the initiative – source Experian http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/Article/81606/Scrappage-scheme-could-tempt-1-5-million-people.aspx

2. Average depreciation on a new car is £8321.10 in the first year, which equals £693.43 per month. Minus the £2,000 offset by car scrappage incentive this is £6321.10, which equals £526.76 per month. Average 1 year loss multiplied by amount of people potentially taking advantage of scrappage scheme. 8312.10 x 1 500 000 = £12,481,650,000.00

Net loss against scrappage scheme multiplied by amount of people potentially taking advantage of scrappage scheme £321.10 x 1,500,000 = £9,481,650,000

3. Average depreciation on a new car is £8,321 in the first year. £8,321 divided by 365 = £22.79 per day. £2,000 divided by £22.79 = 87.75 days.

4. All figures based on 31,245,416 cars in use in the UK according to Research Insight
(June 2008).

Article source : www.uSwitch.com

TOP 10 SAFEST & RISKIEST PLACES IN THE UK FOR CAR THEFT

2009-06-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

double click the map to see it larger

The team at Nice 1 Limited regularly produce car crime information for the UK motoring public and to assist the marketing efforts of our authorised Theft Protect agents.

The information contained on the map above and tables below is extracted from the full Home Office statistics. Insurance companies and intermediaries frequently publish similar data, however, their data is only drawn from the sample of their own customers. The information reprinted here is the most accurate and current information compiled from the car crime incidents recorded by the UK police forces.

Full UK car crime data is available, both as incident counts per town or city, and as the detail below, on the basis of a count per 1000 head of population. The national average for car theft is around 7 per 1000. The map and tables below provide an indication as to the vulnerability to car theft offences in the safest and riskest places in the UK.

THE TOP 10 RISKIEST PLACES FOR CAR THEFT

CARDIFF 30.08*
MANCHESTER 29.25
NEWNHAM 28.38
NOTTINGHAM 27.74
SLOUGH 27.59
BRISTOL 27.56
SALFORD 25.36
READING 24.82
N E LINCOLN 23.35
BASSETLAW 22.68

(*over 3 times the national average)

THE TOP 10 SAFEST PLACES FOR CAR THEFT

BERWICK ON TWEED 2.27
CEREDIGION 2.45
TYNEDALE 2.5
N CORNWALL 2.72
TEESDALE 2.74
ISLE OF ANGLESEY 3.03
N NORFOLK 3.1
ISLES OF SCILLY 3.29
BARROW IN FURNESS 3.69
RIBBLE VALLEY 3.7

Nice 1 Ltd collate car crime statistics from Home Office and police sources in order to provide the UK motoring public with the most accurate picture of car crime across the country and in specific areas. In addition to the offences per head of population, information is also gathered about the number of incidents recorded per town and city.

Further details may be requested by e mail at the contact address at the foot of the page or by clicking the contact me button elsewhere on these pages.

When buying your car insurance this year, remember to ask your broker to include Theft Protect in your motor policy.

Broker Feature - Ashbourne Insurance

2009-06-11T02:43:00.001-07:00

click the image above to read the newsletter

The team at Nice 1 Limited would like to extend a big thank you to the team at Ashbourne Insurance Brokers, for featuring Theft Protect on the front page of this month's newsletter.

Ashbourne are a great supporter of the Theft Protect product and represewnt an excellent example of a customer focused insurance broker. To read more about how Peter and his team are providing excellent service to their insurance customers, please click here or the image above.

To visit the Ashbourne website click this link http://www.ashbourneinsurance.co.uk/

To contact Ashbourne for your insurance requirements call 01992 471001

To send Ashbourne an e mail or visit their contact page click the following link:-

http://www.ashbourneinsurance.co.uk/contact-ashbourne-insurance.asp

Everyone at Nice 1 would like to wish Peter and the team continued success with his business.

Motor Insurance Add Ons . . . . .

2009-05-05T16:54:00.001-07:00

IT PAYS TO GO CHERRY PICKING!

When it comes to choosing a car insurance policy, one thing to consider is any add-ons or optional benefits offered to you. Some are worth having, others aren’t. What you need to do is make sure you’ve got everything you need covered - and that you’re not paying for anything you don’t need.

Automatic add ons, do you need them?

Add-ons like breakdown recovery and legal expenses cover are commonly added on automatically, unless you request otherwise.

But, as many people often already have breakdown cover in place, and usually have legal expenses cover included with their home insurance, you could end up paying twice for the same thing.

Breakdown cover

Breakdown cover, however, can be a good optional extra, if you haven’t already bought it from a third party. And then there’s European breakdown cover, which is another add-on to look out for. It’s undoubtedly useful if you drive on the Continent a lot, but if you don’t it’s a waste of money. And if you have already have breakdown cover in place with another company, you might want to double-check that European cover isn’t included with that.

Key Cover

Rarer add-ons are things like key cover, which covers the cost of replacement keys should you lose yours, and handbag cover, which is offered by some women-only insurers. They could come in useful, but you have to weigh up the cost. And if you have home contents insurance, for instance, you could find any valuables you have in your handbag at the time of the theft, such as a camera and cash, are covered under your home policy. So you’d be paying for it twice. But of course, you can’t claim twice.

Courtesy cars

Something you might want to add on, if it doesn’t come as standard with your comprehensive car insurance policy, is a free courtesy car. This is useful if your car is off the road for a few days, or even weeks.

It is remarkable that very few insurance companies offer a courtesy vehicle if yours is stolen or written off. Motorists often assume that a courtesy vehicle will be provided in any eventuality.

NOT SO !

No courtesy vehicle will be provided whilst your car remains un-recovered (typically 10-14 days, if at all) and NOT when your vehicle is written off.

How would you cope if your vehicle was stolen and you discovered that no courtesy car would be provided?

Theft Protect was introduced to fill the courtesy car gap. For a small annual premium, you can purchase a policy that provides a like-for-like replacement vehicle (car/van/bike or plated taxi) for up to 28 days in the event of a theft related incident or following an accident where your vehicle is written off*.

To find out more about the groups of vehicles provided, click one of the links at the top right of this page.

Theft Protect is available through a network of reputable UK Insurance Brokers who can arrange immediate cover for you (regardless of your insurance renewal date) and give you professional advice for all your insurance needs.

Want to know more? Simply e mail us at enquiries@nice-1.co.uk or telephone us on the number in the contact panel at the foot of the page. We will happily introduce you to one of our brokers.

So, when it comes to choosing your motor insurance add ons, for an excellent value policy that will keep you mobile, cherry pick Theft Protect!

P.S. You might like to read how we have helped Theft Victims across the UK with Theft Protect, click this link to read how the policy helped them.

Happy Theft Protect Customers

2009-05-02T04:52:00.001-07:00

Whilst we would never wish a vehicle theft or write off on any of our customers, it is inevitable that there will be thefts where customers need the service provided by Theft Protect.

The pleasing aspect of dealing with claimants is the sense of relief the product provides. Almost every customer we speak to after a theft is distraught when they first contact us, and it gives us immense pride and pleasure to restore their mobility, often within a matter of hours.

Here then, are a few of the circumstances where we have helped Theft Protect policyholders, with their reactions and comments about the brokers' involvement.

Mr C from Glasgow who had his Mazda Tribute stolen and burnt out a few days before Christmas. Theft Protect supplied a vehicle on Christmas eve. Mr C commented that it had saved his Christmas as he had so much running around to do. He immediately telephoned the selling agent to make sure the policy could be renewed. Fortunately, he had purchased a 4 year policy, so he has plenty of time!

Mrs N from Tipton in the West Midlands woke up to discover her Hyundai Santa fe had been stolen. As a mother in full time work, she faced losing wages and suffering a massive inconvenience. Her vehicle was never restored and she used the hire time wisely, thanking her broker and ensuring they had all they needed to sort her settlement cheque from the insurer.

Mr A and his partner both work in a busy insurance broker in Birmingham. The family FiatGrande Punto was nicked over a weekend and he was concerned that one or both of them might have to take time off work. As it happened, Theft Protect provided a vehicle within 24 hours, and as he was close to the claim, he was able to apply the pressure to his insurers for the cheque. Needless to say, Mr & Mrs A are both now keen supporters and promoters of the product to their customers, having had first hand experience.

Mrs W from Hertfordshire fell victim in the school holidays when her Ford Mondeo Zetec was stolen. When provided with her replacement vehicle, she commented that she didn't know how she would have managed with kids off school and family shopping to do. The broker contacted us to report that she had telephoned to thank them for the Theft Protect service.

Mrs G from Northern Ireland, was heavily pregnant in the summer of 2008 when the family BMW 320 Sport was taken from the driveway. Mr G worked away, so there was no possibility of borrowing his company car. She had a diary full of hospital appointments, pre natal classes and looking after her other children. This one brought us particular pleasure, helping a lady clearly in distress is our speciality! She was among the first policy holders to purchase Theft Protect in Northern Ireland, so we were exceptionally pleased to help.

Mr B is a frail and elderly gent who needs his vehicle for even the short journies. When some heartless thieves broke into his house, stealing the car keys and his Rover 75 Classic as they left, he was absolutely distraught. He was due to drive down to Devon the next day to go to a family get together. Happily, Theft Protect came to the rescue and he was on his way. Over a year ago now, Mr B insisted his broker renew the Theft Protect cover.

Mrs P, from Newport, South Wales was another working mum. Her Volkswagen Passat was her pride and joy until liberated from her possession. She was poorly when she rang up to report the claim and didn't feel up to driving for a couple of days. No problem, Theft Protect provided the vehicle when she felt better.

Mr P was the first customer to claim from the Coversure branch sales. A businessman, he was extremely concerned about the potential loss and inconvenience to his business when his LWBMercedes Sprinter was stolen. He knew only too well the potential interruption to his business having suffered a previous theft and no one was able to help. His business runs a small fleet and he purchased a policy for each vehicle. A replacement LWB van was supplied same day, and as he purchased the 21 day cover, he was able to achieve settlement before the hire ended. A very happy customer who praised his broker for introducing him to Theft Protect.

Mrs B from North London had a momentary lapse in concentration and piled into another vehicle, writing her own vehicle, a Ford Fiesta Azura off in the process. Her anxiety was lessened when Theft protect provided a replacement vehicle same day.

Mr A from London was concerned about getting to and from work when his Lexus GS430 Sport was stolen overnight. Although he had only paid for a 14 day Focus type vehicle, he was able to upgrade to a lerger vehicle (at his expense), gaining the benefit ot the Theft Protect commercial rate. He was pleased that the cost he incurred was significantly reduced by the cost allowed under his Theft Protect policy, and particulalrly pleased that he had purchased the 21 day policy.

Mr B from Sandwell, is a market trader, whose Ford Transit van was stolen the week running up to Christmas and written off by the offenders who used it in a ram raid at a Currys store, stealing electrical goods. He was panicking because the Christmas week was so important for his business. His anxiety turned to delight when a replacement van was supplied in under two hours. He was quick to telephone his broker to praise the product and the service that had saved his Christmas.

Ms H is a police civilian worker, working shifts in South London. Driving her Renault Megane on an extremely icy road surface, she skidded into another vehicle, writing her own off in the process. After numerous telephone calls without getting any assistance, she telephoned her broker who reminded her that she had a Theft Protect policy. Due to start a night shift that evening, with no other means of transport, she was delighted with the hire vehicle that arrived from Theft Protect four hours before she was due to leave for work. She had been considering shopping around for her insurance renewal, but will now stay with the Redditch based broker as they were the only organisation who had truly looked after her interests.

Mr H from Hursey in Kent is a self employed long distance lorry driver. His vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee is essential transport for him as he often has to drive to the lorry park, some 6 miles away at 3 or 4am in the morning, often not returning to his vehicle until late at night. When his vehicle was stolen, he feared losing income as he knew of no one who could help. His broker again reminded him that he had purchased Theft Protect a few months earlier. A vehicle was supplied in time for Mr H to get to work without losing any time or money.

Mr R-S (double barrelled) from Wednesbury purchased a Theft Protect policy for his Gilera DNA 125cc motorcycle. Only qualified to ride motorcycles, using the vehicle as his transport to and from his shift work, he was extremely anxious to discover his bike and documents stolen from his driveway. He was fully expecting to lose time from work as he believed replacement motorcycles would be hard to hire. The claim was reported early one February morning, he had his replacement motorcycle delivered, fully insured by early afternoon, well in time for his afternoon shift. before leaving for work, he telephoned his broker to thank them for providing Theft Protect.

And one last amusing tale ....Mr S, a self employed educational consultant from South Wales bought a Theft Protect policy earlier in 2009, having fallen victim previously and been without transport for four weeks. When his broker offered him Theft Protect he said yes immediately. Early in April, he parked his car in a side street in Cardiff whilst visiting a customer. On return, he found the vehicle was missing. He reported it to the police as stolen and contacted Theft Protect. He was delighted with the service offered and said that he would have the hire vehicle delivered the following morning. That afternoon, he caught a bus into town. Ever vigilant after the incident, he knew he would pass the road where he had parked his vehicle. As the bus approached the road prior to the one where the "incident" took place, he glanced out of the window, and there was his vehicle! Parked exactly where he had left it... He had returned to the wrong road, convinced his car had been stolen, the suspicious fellow! He was good humoured about it and had telephoned his broker beforehand to sing the praises of Theft Protect!

Don't Blame Your Broker If You Gamble With Car Insurance

2009-04-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

It seems that every other advert on the tv these days is encouraging us to search fo cheaper and cheaper car insurance. Whilst it makes sense to obtain a great deal, it is equally important to make sure the policy covers you for important risks.

Despite the emergence of the insurance comparison sites (or aggregators as they are known), the best source of advice is the insurance broker.

Comparison sites have come under sharp criticism from the consumer organisation "Which" and the Financial Services Authority, for the lack of clarity when explaining policy provisions. The problem tradionally has been that these sites focus on price, often at the expense of the consumer.

Insurance fraud is on the increase as motorists search for cheap car insurance to try to save money in the economic downturn.

The way the sites are constructed encourages a would be customer to "adjust" information to arrive at a quote they are happy with. These adjustments may include:-

Making false declarations about where the vehicle is stored or parked
Not declaring business use for the vehicle
No Claims Discount (NCD) - Motorists try to claim more years of NCD than they are entitled to, sometimes in error but also some drivers try to hoodwink insurers.
False or double addresses - Providing a false address where a vehicle is not kept would invalidate insurance cover - but people do this because a lower risk postal address can reduce premiums. Cars must be registered at the address which is the main residence.
Failing to declare crashes and convictions - Declaring convictions and accidents is vital. Millions of drivers have convictions for various motoring offences. A quick licence check made by an insurer before processing a claim is all it takes to uncover any misinformation. In addition, accident details are stored on insurance industry database systems which can also be checked.
Annual mileage - To keep down car insurance quotes, motorists are known to state they drive considerably fewer miles than they actually do, although many sometimes misjudge this by accident.
Fronting - People sometimes commit insurance fraud when the main driver on a policy is a young motorist but the insurer is told a parent or another older person is the main driver. The young person is then not fully declared for insurance purposes, perhaps leading to a claim being made invalid. In addition, they can not build up any no claims bonus.
Supply wrong information - Blatant - and seemingly plain stupid - attempts to secure cheaper insurance include supplying incorrect details such as wrong car, omitting vehicle modifications, wrong sex, wrong age and wrong payment methods.

These are just a few of the examples happening every day with online insurance quotations. As a result, many of the UK insurers have withdrawn their presence on comparison sites, because the huge increase in the practice is disproportionately affecting claims and premiums.

We have produced this article to educate drivers thinking twice about being economical with the truth when applying for cover.

Honesty is the best policy by far because the whole point of insurance is to cover the costs for a potential future loss. Supplying false information to insurers runs the risk of invalidating insurance policies, and thus ends up being a false economy, even in these credit crunch times.

The message to be instilled by this article is that it is not worth massaging any details and gambling with cover to get the cheapest quote. Far better to avoid fraud and complete applications accurately and correctly rather than lose out should a claim need to be submitted during the policy period.

Policy Excess - A policy excess is the amount you will have to pay in the event of a claim. For example, if an accident claim results in damage to the tune of £2000 to your vehicle, and you have a £250 policy excess, you will have to pay the £250, with your insurance policy paying the remainder. In a non fault accident, with a negligent driver, this sum, together with other out-of-pocket expenses is recovereable from the negiligent driver or his insurer.

Policy excesses come in two varieties, compulsory and voluntary.

A compulsory excess is often imposed by an insurer to reflect a combination of factors, such as the driving history of the insured, the age, make model of the vehicle, the geographic location where the policy is taken out etc.

A voluntary excess is supposed to be just that, voluntarily accepted by the proposer (you) as an additional excess to be paid in the event of a claim.

Taking the example further, a person with a £250 compulsory, and a £300 voluntary excess would mean this person paying the first £550 of any and every claim. Ouch!

Why take out a voluntary excess? Quite simply, the voluntary excess added to the compulsory excess helps to reduce the insurance quotation provided by the insurer.

Policy excesses are useful tools provided the motorist knows they are being applied and is happy with their liability. More importantly, the motorist must ensure he is able to afford to pay the excess amount in the event of a claim, otherwise he might find himself in the situation where a repairer refuses to release the vehicle until the excess is paid.

Every day, motorists are happy to sign up for cheap car insurance, often via an online comparison site, only to discover that hidden within the small print at the back of the site, is a large voluntary excess they weren't aware of.

Courtesy Cars - Many sites will tell you that a courtesy car is provided in the event of a claim. What is often left out, is that very few provide a like-for-like vehicle facility in the event of a theft incident or where your vehicle is written off. Theft Protect is the first policy of its kind in the UK to provide the ultimate in replacement vehicle cover for the theft or write off victim. Check out other posts to find out more, or click the links elsewhere on the page.

Wherever you get your car insurance, our advice to you is to check the policy wording carefully to make sure you have not misled the insurer to get a cheaper quote and ask your broker to explain the terms and conditions to you so that you are certain.

Remember, your broker is there to help you. You can't blame them if you ignore their advice, take the gamble and lose the game!

Car Insurance - Theft Protect Private Hire Groups

2009-04-21T03:24:00.000-07:00

TAXI & CAB PROTECT

As any private hire operator knows, a theft incident can damage their livelihood, not just the cab.

TAXI & CAB PROTECT FROM THEFT PROTECT provide essential services for taxi operators and drivers that could, in the event of a theft, keep their business from running.

Having the tool of their trade stolen, it is critical that they are supplied with a replacement vehicle while theirs is unavailable, or found damaged and off the road after it has been recovered. Unlike normal insurance claims, a courtesy car will not do. It must be a licensed vehicle with appropriate insurance. The Fault Write Off Provision does not currently apply to the Taxi & Cab Protect Products.

THEFT PROTECT can provide a replacement licensed vehicle and arrange for the repairs of the recovered vehicle at one of our approved repairers or a repairer of their choice. Our dedicated team of specialist staff are here to support the private hire operator and provide them with a vehicle when they most need it. Our staff will ensure that the claim runs smoothly and that repairs and replacement vehicles are coordinated with least effort from the customer.

Sensible affordable prices

Can be bought seperate from motor insurance

14, 21 & 28 day hire cover available

1 - 5 year policy duration

Click "taxi" under the vehicle group links to the right of this page.

Alternatively, click on the picture below to see a larger view of the vehicles available.

When you speak to your broker or insurer, insist on Theft Protect being included in your insurance. Brokers can sign up for Theft Protect within minutes, so they have no excuse not to make it available for you.

Warning!

Most courtesy car programs do not provide a full replacement vehicle service for theft victims. Theft Protect is the only policy of its kind in the UK to provide a licensed vehicle for private hire operators following a theft.

Make sure you are properly protected, insist on Theft Protect.

Car Insurance - Theft Protect Motorcycle Groups

2009-04-21T02:59:00.000-07:00

When it comes to renewing your motorcycle insurance, remember to ask for Theft Protect cover.

Theft Protect is the only like for like replacement vehicle facility of its kind for theft victims in the UK.

Sensible affordable prices
Can be bought seperate from motor insurance
14, 21 & 28 day hire cover available
1 - 5 year policy duration

For motorcycle customers, click on the picture below to see a larger view of the bike types provided.

Alternatively click "motorcycles" under the vehicle group links to the right of this page.

Click on picture to see larger view

When you speak to your broker or insurer, insist on Theft Protect being included in your insurance.

Brokers can sign up for Theft Protect within minutes, so they have no excuse not to make it available for you.

Warning!

Most courtesy car programs do not provide a full replacement vehicle service for theft victims, rarely for motorcycle customers.

Make sure you are properly protected, insist on Theft Protect.

Car Insurance - Theft Protect Van Groups

2009-04-21T02:45:00.000-07:00

When it comes to renewing your van insurance, remember to ask for Theft Protect cover.

As business operator knows, a theft incident can damage their livelihood and cause considerable inconvenience, business interraption and potentially a loss of income.

Replacement van policies from THEFT PROTECT provide essential services for UK business community, enabling those companies to stay mobile and keep trading. Having the tool of your trade stolen, it is critical that your are supplied with a suitable replacement vehicle while yours is unavailable, or found damaged and off the road after it has been recovered.

Unlike normal insurance claims, a courtesy car will not do. It must be a van that is suitable for your purposes. Our dedicated team of specialist staff are here to support the business user and to provide them with a vehicle when they most need it.

Theft Protect is the only like for like replacement vehicle facility of its kind for theft victims in the UK.

Sensible affordable prices
Can be bought seperate from motor insurance
14, 21 & 28 day hire cover available
1 - 5 year policy duration
Optional cover for write off incidents

For van customers, click on the picture below to see a larger view of the types provided.

Alternatively click "vans" under the vehicle group links to the right of this page.

Click on picture to see larger view

Warning!

Most courtesy vehicle programs do not provide a full replacement vehicle service for theft victims. Very few provide a like for like van service.

Make sure you are properly protected, insist on Theft Protect.

Car Insurance - Theft Protect Car Groups

2009-04-21T02:33:00.000-07:00

When it comes to renewing your car insurance, remember to ask for Theft Protect cover.

Theft Protect is the only like for like replacement vehicle facility of its kind for theft victims in the UK.

* Sensible affordable prices
* Can be bought seperate from motor insurance
* 14, 21 & 28 day hire cover available
* 1 - 5 year policy duration
* Optional cover for write off incidents

For car customers, click on the picture below to see a larger view of the car types provided.

Alternatively click "cars" under the vehicle group links to the right of this page.

Click on picture to see larger view

When you speak to your broker or insurer, insist on Theft Protect being included in your insurance. Brokers can sign up for Theft Protect within minutes, so they have no excuse not to make it available for you.

Warning!

Most courtesy car programs do not provide a full replacement vehicle service for theft victims.

Make sure you are properly protected, insist on Theft Protect.

In The News This Week...

2009-04-20T03:01:00.000-07:00

A selection of car crime articles this week include ...

Leicestershire Constabulary - Can you help?Officers are appealing for witnesses after alloy wheels were stolen from a vehicle in Thorpe Satchville. ... How to contact us. If you have information about any crime, you can contact us on Leicester (0116) 222 2222. In an emergency, for example where life is in danger or a crime is in progress, call 999. ...Leicestershire Constabulary - Appeals - http://www.leics.police.uk/

Crime falls in Warwickshire - but some areas are still hotspots ...But figures show that in some areas burglaries and vehicle crime have increased compared with their equivalents for last year. Deputy Chief Con Andy Parker hopes to reduce crime by targeting persistent criminals. ... Visit www.warwicktoday. co.uk · Warwick · Press Complaints Commission. This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or ...Leamington Spa Today - Back to... - http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=691

Stung by cops and robbers (From Kidderminster Shuttle)The vehicle was then found by her sister 400 yards away but she was “happy” when police were on the scene as it “meant they were taking the crime seriously”. She said the police insisted the damaged car be taken away for forensic tests ...Kidderminster Shuttle Local - http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/local/

Loose change can lead to car crime - Peterborough TodayOver the first two weeks of this month, there were 197 vehicle crime offences in the city, almost half of which were thefts from vehicles. Thieves have mainly stolen items such as sat navs, iPods, and mobile phones, ... Visit www. fenlandtoday.co.uk · Fenland · Press Complaints Commission. This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or ...Peterborough Today - News - http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=845

Police appeal after car stolen - Peterborough TodayTHIEVES stole a car parked in West Pinchbeck, near Spalding. Police are appealing for information today after the theft of the silver Vauxhall LS, registration S337 EBW, in Riverside, between 9am last Tuesday and 1pm on Monday. ... Visit www.fenlandtoday.co.uk · Fenland · Press Complaints Commission. This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to ...Peterborough Today - News - http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=845

Car-ringing couple jailed - Peterborough TodayCar-ringing couple jailed - A Young couple have been handed prison sentences after apparently becoming roped into participating in a multi-million pound car-ringing scam by organised criminals. ... Peterborough Crown Court heard that traveller gangs were behind the organised theft of hundreds of vehicles from all around the country over the last two and a half years. These vehicles – often high value sports cars and 4x4s – were given false number plates and forged ...Peterborough Today - News - http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=845

Netball team’s kit stolen (From Swindon Advertiser)“I just hate the idea that someone has been in my car going through my stuff,” she said. “The kit won’t be covered by my insurance but I never thought it would be stolen. It makes no sense.” The team will still be able to continue their weekly practice but will have to ... “It was such a meaningless theft but I’ve taken it really personally and feel responsible for what’s happened because the equipment was taken while I was supposed to be looking after it,” Amanda said. ...Swindon Advertiser News - http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/

(BlackBerry + UK cabinet data) - attention = theft : Liquidmatrix ...By Zach Lanier Police believe it was stolen from a car and that they have traced the owner. Curtis purchased the device after the homeless man informed him that the device held “the numbers for Tony Blair and Buckingham Palace. ...Liquidmatrix Security Digest - http://www.liquidmatrix.org/blog/

The Fast Mystic » Blog Archive » Secure Your Car For Lower Car ...By admin 26 percent of all car theft in the UK last year took place right outside the front door of the car owner! So, if you have the ability to lock your car away at night in a garage, then mention this to your car insurance company as there ...The Fast Mystic - http://fastmystic.com/

Costa del Gangster: export of stolen luxury vehicles from Britain ...By Reporters UK’s anti-fraud watchdog has joined investigations into a car theft ring involving the export of stolen luxury vehicles from Britain to Tanzania. According to British police sources, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is investigating the international ... Financial investigators from the UK’s Economic Crime Team recovered five cars in a 10-day spell in 2007, but many more were thought to have been smuggled abroad through Felixstowe or Southampton docks hidden in containers. ...Costa del Gangster - http://costadelgangster.blogspot.com/

Warwickshire cops 'too busy' to investigate £10000 car parts theftSunday Mercury - Birmingham,West Midlands,UKThieves struck on Wednesday morning and left the stripped-down car sitting on 3ft-high bricks. Mr Maybin, 36, called police who sent a scenes of crime unit ...See all stories on this topic

Police warning after theft from car in Heverthisiskent.co.uk - Tunbridge Wells,England,UKDO NOT leave valuables on show in your car is the message from police following a theft in Hever. A brown leather wallet, an Apple iPod in a black leather ...See all stories on this topic

Thousands of pounds stolen from van in Tesco car park ...Thousands of pounds stolen from van in Tesco car park - Police are appealing for witnesses after thousands of pounds in coins was stolen from a van in a Tesco car park in Northamptonshire. ... Anyone with information is asked to contact police in the Crime Investigation Unit on 08453 700700. The full article contains 158 words and appears in n/a newspaper. Page 1 of 1. Last Updated: 09 April 2009 2:41 PM; Source: n/a; Location: Northampton. Bookmark: ...Northampton Chronicle and Echo - News - http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=255

£1000 reward to catch Great Harwood car vandals (From Blackburn ...At first police had reports that 45 cars were scratched or dented during the crime spree between midnight and 4am on March 31. By midweek 65 cars had been reported but now detectives believe 90 were attacked. ...Blackburn Citizen News - http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/

Simple Steps To Reduce UK Car CrimeWhilst car crime is on the decrease on a national scale, it remains a concern for many, and can be an unpleasant reality for many car owners.

Police relaunch burglary prevention scheme (From This Is Local London)Lucy Groves, Crime Reduction Adviser, said: “Modern vehicle security is now so advanced that it is almost impossible to start a car without its keys. “As a result we see more and more burglaries being committed by thieves who are looking ... your keys safe where they are out of view and cannot be found by burglars or stolen through the letterbox.” For more information about home security, call a crime reduction advisor on 0845 8 505 505 or visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk ...This Is Local London News - http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/

Baby Shay car theft ordealChampion Newspapers - Southport,England,UKA Skelmersdale couple suffered every parent’s worst nightmare when their car was stolen with their two year old in the back. The black Vauxhall Vectra was ...See all stories on this topic

Five arrested over theftHarrogate Today - Harrogate,England,UKA GROUP of five young men were arrested on Tuesday after a car was stolen from a dealership in Starbeck. The driver, 25, and four passengers aged between 17 ...See all stories on this topic

Surge in car crime expected

2009-04-09T02:30:00.000-07:00

• Government braces itself for crime increase
• Failing economy is blamed
• Police stepping up security measures

Car crime and security are to be put back on the agenda by the Home Office and Police.

Around two years ago the Home Office shelved its vehicle crime team, but it’s now reforming as a surge in vehicle crime is expected as the economy falters.

Mike Briggs, security expert at research centre Thatcham, reports that car crime will be put back into the Association of Chief Police Officers’ guidelines that all UK police forces follow.

However, until these moves are taken, there will continue to be no national strategy on combating car crime. A leaked Home Office memo has revealed that the Government is bracing itself for an increase in crime as tough economic conditions continue. Insurers are also expecting a rise in car crime.

Car crime hit a peak in 1995 following the economic downturn of the early 1990s. Although recent crime figures compare favourably against this high, incident rates are actually only marginally better when compared with levels from 1981 when records began.

This weeks' car crime news round up from around the UK

Letterbox thieves make off with cars
Hornsey and Crouch End Journal - ‎17 hours ago‎
CARS worth around £130000 have been stolen by crafty burglars who steal the keys using a long hook through the letterbox. A black Volvo and black BMW, ...

Attempted theft of a motor vehicle from Co-Op in Kettering ...
Attempted theft of a motor vehicle from Co-Op in Kettering - Police are appealing for information about an attempted theft of a motor vehicle from a car park at the Co-Op superstore in Northfield Avenue, Kettering.

Police: "Don't give burglars an easy ride" (From This Is Local London)
CAR owners in the Chiltern district are being warned not to give burglars an easy ride during a crackdown on vehicle theft. ... The most recent crime statistics for the district, which relate to the period December 2008 – February 2009, show 147 burglaries from homes were reported. In Amersham Old Town and Chesham Bois, the number of house break-ins increased four fold.

Lock on to increased profits with Kasp security The Grocery Trader
656549 crimes against vehicles were reported across the UK between April 2007 and March 2008, at a cost of £620 million a year to UK businesses. And with. ... With vehicle crime on the increase, Kasp has introduced an eye-catching counter display unit, which holds four Van Locks, to allow retailers to display the locks prominently on the counter, to remind tradesmen of the very real dangers of theft and encourage them to take precautions.

BBC NEWS England Humber City named UK's car crime capital
Car owners in Hull are the most likely in the UK to be targeted by car thieves, a leading insurer claims.

Mercedes driver carjacked in Winchester (From Daily Echo)
POLICE are hunting three men who carjacked a high-class sports car in Winchester early this morning. ...

Car theft victims want people to learn from their mistake
Daniel Warmington fell foul of thieves when he left his mum Diane's £400 nine-week old laptop and two of his speakers in his Peugeot at Rye Close,...

Classic Car Owners Told to keep Vehicles Safe « Car Insurance ...
By Car Insurance Quotes Stuart Chapman, Head of Tracker’s Police Relationship Team said “Some simple precautions can make all the difference in protecting a classic car from theft.” He also added that “Use good judgment when parking, favouring well lit areas. ...

Burglaries up by 30 per cent in Northamptonshire - Northants ETS
enior police officers have pledged to tackle the number of break-ins by ... More offenders are now breaking in to houses to steal car keys

UK Car Crime Hotspots

2009-04-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

UK Car Crime - The True Picture

Insurance companies, comparison websites, national and regional newspapers report frequently on the current car crime hotspots in the UK. These reports rareley report the true picture.

Most reports are drawn from a selection of an insurers own customers, which is partly accurate but not fully representative of reported car crime in the UK.

The only true source of this data is difficult and laborious to prepare, so the insurers report only what they know from their own customerbase.

The 43 police forces of England & Wales compile statistics on all reportable crimes. Whilst this information is publicly available, it is fragmented, with forces operating non standardised reporting processes.

The information shown in the table below reflects the 20 car crime hotspots in the UK, with data drawn from Home Office and police sources for reported car crime. The full information is drawn from :-

10 Geographical Areas

London

Yorkshire & The Humber

North West

East Midlands

Wales

West Midlands

East of England

South East

North East

South West

43 Police Forces in England & Wales

375 Towns, Cities, Villages or districts

The table shows the top 20 local hotpsots. The number of offences recorded speaks for itself. The frequncy can be interpreted as the likelihood of car crime in that local area.

FREQUENCY

The Home Office and police record crime statistics in two ways, the number of offences per region, force area and local district AND the number of offences per 1000 head of population in that area.

1.0 represents the national average frequency, so Cardiff, ranking 1st in the frequency table, with a score of 3.0 suffers 3 x the national average number of car crime incidents, Manchester 2.9 x the national average and so on.

As the information is drawn from 375 local disctricts, it is significant that 10 of the top 20 suffer both the highest number of incidents and the highest frequency of car crime.

London boroughs appear frequently in both tables, so whilst recent reports suggest that car crime is decreasing in the area, clearly this was welcome as the threat of car crime remains higher than average.

Much is reported about city centre car crime, yet it is interesting to note that Birmingham and Liverpool, whilst appearing in the top 20 for numbers of offences, appear much lower down the frequency table. The high population numbers in these areas no doubt have the effect of diluting the frequency for the residents of these areas.

Whilst the information gathered is the most accurate representation of UK car crime, it is based on "reported" crime only. Many minor incidents of car theft are not reported to either police or insurance companies. The Association of British Insurers, in conjunction with the National Statistics Office and the Home Office produce the British Crime Survey annually.

Theft Protect collate UK car crime statistics on a local, regional and county basis for the purpose of raising and maintaining public awareness on matters relating to vehicle crime and security.

UK Car Crime - In The News This Week

2009-04-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

Burglaries up by 30 per cent in Northamptonshire

Four homes were broken into every day in the north of the county, with the number of burglaries rising by nearly 30 per cent in the past 12 months.

New crime figures for the year show 1,483 homes were raided, many of them by repeat offenders only just released from prison. Area commander for North Northamptonshire Chief Supt Paul Fell said he was concerned about the rise in the number of burglaries, particularly in Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire.He said: "There has also been a significant number of prolific offenders out of prison this year."More offenders are now breaking in to houses to steal car keys because new cars are so secure.

Attempted car theft in New Road in Haverfordwest

Police are trying to trace two men with Swansea accents who were seen in New Road in Haverfordwest yesterday (Thursday) following an incident of criminal damage and attempted theft.

At around 3pm yesterday the rear window of a house in New Road was smashed, criminals also tried, unsuccessfully, to steal an old car parked in the drive of the house.

Two men in their late teens or early 20s, both with Swansea accents, were seen acting suspiciously in the area at around the time of the offences.

Any one with any information on the incident is asked to contact Haverfordwest police station on 0845 330 2000.

Frail war veteran badly hurt in car theft

A FRAIL Swansea pensioner was badly hurt as he bravely tried to stop a man stealing his car from outside his home.

William Power got jammed between a retaining wall and his Toyota Corolla as it was driven away by 21-year-old Spencer Alexander Pitman.

The 83-year-old Second World War veteran suffered injuries to his hand and knee in the shocking incident at Elwy Crescent, near Graiglwyd Square, Townhill.

The incident was described at Swansea Crown Court when Pitman, of Heol Graig Felen, Clydach, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to robbery, wounding and two offences of taking a vehicle without consent.

Eight arrested in connection with stolen vehicle investigation

LANCASHIRE police have arrested eight people in connection with a major investigation into stolen vehicles following a series of coordinated raids.

Around 30 officers were deployed as part of Operation Flycatcher around 7am on Tuesday 31 March.

Officers from the Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit’s Stolen Vehicle Squad led the operation with the support of divisional officers and staff as well as operational support unit staff.

Warrants were executed at addresses on Leighton Street, Lowndes Street and Garstang Road, in Preston, as well as Dorset Avenue, Thornton Cleveleys, Walker Street, Blackpool and one man was also produced from HMP Preston.

In a joint operation involving Greater Manchester Police, Hertfordshire Police and intelligence units, arrests were also made in Hatfield and Wigan.

Seven men, including three from Preston aged 22, 24 and 26, two from Horwich both aged 44, one from St Albans aged 19 and a 22 year old man who was produced from Preston prison have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to handle stolen goods, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

A 24 year old woman from Preston has been arrested on suspicion of the same offences.
The investigation has already highlighted 16 vehicles, worth £126,000, which have been stolen across the North West between November 2007 and October 2008.

The vehicles, mainly commercial vans and saloons, were then advertised before being sold on to completely innocent members of the public.

A spokesperson from Lancashire Constabulary’s Stolen Vehicle Squad said: “This morning’s raids are part of an ongoing investigation into stolen vehicles which are being sold on to innocent buyers.

“They should serve as a warning to people who are involved in this type of criminality as well as reassuring members of the public that Lancashire Constabulary is taking action against those who steal, clone and sell stolen vehicles.”

Tot taken in car theft horror

A HORRIFIED dad watched a car thief speed off in his vehicle with his two-year-old child inside.
It was the second incident in 24 hours in Lancashire, where a car was stolen with a tot onboard.

The youngster was sleeping in the back of the man's black Vauxhall Vectra during a trip to the supermarket when it was taken yesterday afternoon in Skelmersdale.

The distraught dad called police and was reunited with the toddler half an hour later.

Det Sgt Michele Skinley from Lancashire Police said: “This was a very distressing situation for the family and I would appeal for anybody who witnessed this incident to contact police.

"Indeed, I would also like to speak with anyone who may have seen a black Vauxhall Vectra being driven in the area anytime after 3.45pm.”

The car was abandoned minutes later and the child reunited with her family unharmed.
Anybody with information about either incident is asked to call police.

Baby snatched in car theft drama

Detectives in Lancashire are hunting two men who stole a car with a 19-month-old girl in the back seat.

The incident happened at approximately 6pm last night in Preston when a family and their two young children stopped at a chemist shop near Preston North End's Deepdale Football Ground.The father of the child got out of the car and went inside the shop leaving a woman and her two children inside.They were approached by two men who told the woman to get out of the car.She managed to take her four week old baby out of the vehicle, a white R-registered Nissan Micra, but the offenders got inside and drove off before she could get her 19 month old daughter.The car was later reported abandoned by a member of the public and the youngster was found inside and unharmed. She was quickly reunited with her family.Police are now desperate to trace the culprits.

Detective Inspector Ian Dawson, who is leading the investigation, said: "This is an unusual offence which has led to an extremely upsetting and distressing situation for the family. Considering the offenders abandoned the vehicle a short distance away, a very short time later, the amount of distress caused was totally unnecessary."I would appeal for anyone in the area of Deepdale Road and Peel Hall Street who witnessed this incident to contact police, similarly I would like to hear from anyone who saw a white Nissan Micra being driven in the area after 6pm or who saw it being abandoned on Maitland Street."

He added: "I would also like to speak with a white man who was in the chemist at the time of the incident being committed but left before police arrived. "This man went in to purchase some chewing gum and had a discussion with the shop assistant and aggrieved whilst inside. "If this person is you or you know who this person is then please contact police."Police are also keen to trace the woman who anonymously reported seeing the vehicle being abandoned.Anybody with any information should contact police on (01772) 203203 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Trevor McDonald is to front an ITV1 series on car crime this summer.

Car Crime UK will follow police squads across the country as they deal with a continuous stream of thefts and break-ins. It will also look at some of the potential solutions to the problem. It will be produced by the Mentorn Media-owned police doc specialist Folio.

Mentorn creative director Steve Anderson will executive produce the series with Matt Holden, and Dan Exelby will be the series producer. Anderson said: "Our camera teams have been filming throughout the past few months and have already captured some amazing stories and incidents."

Car Crime UK was ordered by ITV commissioning editor for factual Diana Howie and director of factual and daytime Alison Sharman. The show will be showcased next week at MipTV.

UK Car Crime – Theft Of Keys Distort The Truth

2009-04-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

The true scale of vehicle crime in the UK is being masked because of how offences are recorded and a change in the way thieves are targeting cars. Latest Home Office figures suggest a fall of between six and 10% for the three months to September 2008, based on police figures and the British Crime Survey.

There are discrepancies in the figures due to thieves targeting homes to obtain car keys and then stealing the vehicle they belong to. This results in the offence being recorded as a burglary rather than a vehicle crime.

According to insurer esure, 90% of high value car thefts in 2008 involved the use of the original keys, with a high proportion of them stolen from the owner’s home. Burglary is the easiest way to obtain vehicle keys. Almost all modern vehicles are fitted with effective anti-theft systems as standard, but these do not stop a criminal unlocking your vehicle and driving away if they have the key.

And while the Home Office is reporting a fall in vehicle crime, it indicates a 4% rise in burglary, with 69,000 cases between July and September last year. Due to the way crime is recorded, it could suggest that in cases where a vehicle is stolen after a burglary, this is only recorded as an offence against the home.

A glance at the table tells the story. Cambridgeshire reports a small reduction in car crime, yet a 42% increase in burglary. How many car thefts resulted from those burglaries and do not appear in the car crime statistics?

Greater Manchester reports a 16% reduction in car theft, yet a 17% increase in burglary. Lincolnshire reports a 12% drop in car theft yet a 7% increase in burglary. Again, how many car thefts are being masked by the rise in burglary numbers?

We have only published here, the forces showing a decline in car theft and a rise in burglary to illustrate the discrepancy. Hidden among the other force areas are many thousands of car theft incidents lost amid the burglary statistics.

Many forces are undoubtedly performing well and they are to be commended for their efforts. The UK motoring public has a right to freedom of accurate information about crime in the UK. With so many car thefts occurring following a theft of keys during a burglary, the car theft numbers are reported in a distorted manner.

Home Office findings suggest that criminals are now concentrating on stealing car keys in order to get around immobilisers. An analysis of 8,303 incidents of thefts and attempted thefts of cars in the Northumbria and Greater Manchester areas concludes that there does appear to be some evidence of an increase in the theft of keys over time, particularly through burglaries.

Key points

For cars registered after 1997, keys were used in 85% of incidents where the method of theft was known.
The most common methods of obtaining keys were through burglary (37%) and through the owner leaving the keys in the car (18%). Here, cars were targeted in sites where drivers were separated from their vehicles for a short period and where normal security measures may be neglected (e.g. private driveways, business premises, petrol stations, outside shops).
There was a rise in the proportion of key thefts during robberies, almost doubling from around 2% to nearly 4% over the 3 years. Although these numbers are very small, this could be evidence of a trend towards more concerted attempts to steal cars.

How car theft stands nationally

Thefts of vehicles accounts for around 6% of all crime recorded. All vehicle related theft incidents account for nearer 20%.
Most recent figures suggest that 76% of car thefts were of cars more than 3 years old.
Overall then, new cars are more secure and can not simply be stolen by forcing the ignition, car keys are being stolen instead.

Methods of theft

The charts below show the percentages of each method of car theft. 'Forced ignition' and 'Pushed/ towed away' are methods of car theft that don't involve the use of keys.

In Greater Manchester:

In Northumbria :
Home Office Recommendations

Remember to keep your keys safe at all times. Hide a spare set away in your home and never leave them by the front door or window. Also, remove the ignition key every time you leave your vehicle when you are filling the car up with petrol or popping into the newsagents. If you warm your car up in the winter do not leave the vehicle at any time.

Police need to continue to improve the detail and accuracy of how they record car thefts. A particular concern relating to this study was that the method of theft was unknown in 46% of cases.

Theft Protect collate and monitor up-to-date car crime statistics and incidents across the UK.

Car Insurance - Ask For Theft Protect To Be Included

2009-03-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

Most UK motorists do not know the facts and myths about courtesy cars. When they take out a car insurance policy, they are blissfully unaware that they are not covered in the event of a theft incident. Most UK motorists believe that courtesy cars will always be available in any eventuality.

Not so!

The fact is, that courtesy cars are usually provided by crash repair centres, not insurance companies. They are only provided if the repairer is guaranteed the repair to your own damaged vehicle.

A large percentage of cars that are stolen in the UK are never restored to their owner, or recovered beyond economical repair. In these cases, no courtesy car is provided under normal circumatances. In any event, if your car is stolen, typically it might be 10-14 days before it is recovered, if at all, which means you will be immobile until help comes along.

Theft Protect is an insurance policy, available from any one of our FSA authorised insurance brokers, finance companies or motor dealers.

The policy provides a like-for-like replacement vehicle for up to 28 days in the event that your car is stolen or written off. Theft Protect fills the gap that courtesy car programs do not.

The blogs from this site are all about drawing attention to the courtesy car loophole for the benefit of the UK motoring public.

Through these pages we will inform you, the UK motorist, of car crime levels in your area on a regular basis. This will be supplemented by local car crime news stories and police/security initiatives to combat crime. We will keep you appraised of the crime rate in your area in comparison to national averages, so that you know if your area is a high, average or low crime risk area for car theft incidents.

We will look at vehicle models which are least and most susceptible to theft incidents and explore the insurance industry recommended vehicle security. If a topic is relevant to car crime in the UK, a post will be created to keep you up-to-date.

Every day, we are bombarded with car insurance marketing messages, urging us to choose this or that price comparison site, insurance company or broker. We will keep you appraised of events within the industry that are of particular interest and relevance.

We suggestions and comments from the motoring public, insurers, security and police spokespersons, motor trade and finance contacts that will help to keep the UK motorist up to speed about events relevant to insurance and motors.

To find out more visit http://www.theftprotect.co.uk/ or e mail us directly enquiries@theftprotect.co.uk or post your enquiry by clicking the comment link below. We look forward to hearing from you

Improve Your Security - Reduce Your Car Insurance

2009-03-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

In these days of the economic downturn, the government warns us that car crime is set to increase. This will increase the price of car insurance at renewal time.

The Association of British Insurers state that premiums can be cut dramatically by fitting a Thatcham approved security device.. many insurers provide insurance discounts of up to 10% when an approved device is fitted.

Thatcham was established in 1969 by British Insurers. Thatcham provide 70% of the data that insurers use to define a car’s insurance grouping.

How Secure Is Your Vehicle? - New Vehicle Security Ratings

To find out how Thatcham rate the security of the vehicle you are interested in, just click the link http://www.thatcham.org/nvsr/

This will take you to the Thatcham website where you will be able to check the security star rating of any vehicle, for its vulnerability to “theft from” and “theft of” incidents.

The site will also advise all of the recommended Thatcham security and tracking devices.

We hope such an incident will never happen to you, but the sad fact is that the efforts of police and the vehicle security industry will not deter the determined criminal.

How would you cope without transport if your car was stolen?

Theft Protect provides the solution, a like-for-like replacement vehicle for up to 28 days in the event of the unfortunate theft of your vehicle.

For more details of the product and how you can obtain cover now, check out the other pages on this blog or visit www.theftprotect.co.uk If you have specific enquiries about the product, please email us at enquiries@theftprotect.co.uk or enter your query in the comment box below.