Alexander Forbes Insurance offers tips for preventing car theft

Alexander Forbes Insurance (AFI) has urged owners of luxury vehicles to ensure they are adequately insured following reports of a spate of thefts by suspected syndicates targeting luxury vehicles in Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape.

Gari Dombo, the MD of AFI, says vehicle owners should be more vigilant about preventing car thefts.

“The majority of us don’t think about how to prevent car theft until it is too late and unfortunately car theft is a reality,” he says.

Hugo van Zyl, chief executive of the South African Insurance Crime Bureau was quoted in the media as saying luxury vehicles are being targeted by syndicates who acquire information of a servicing dealer. A criminal knowing when a service is due poses as an employee of the dealer and offers to collect the vehicle for service. When it is handed over the criminal absconds with it.

Dombo says owners of luxury vehicles should have comprehensive motor cover.

Dombo offers the following tips to reduce the chances of your vehicle being stolen:
1. Always lock your car doors as often car thieves are opportunistic looking for an easy target.
2. To avoid loss through remote signal jamming, physically check that the driver’s door is locked before leaving the car.
3. Park in a secure well lit parking lot near the security cameras or security guard.
4. Don’t leave your belongings in plain sight, place handbags and laptops in your boot; or rather leave valuables at home.
5. Keep track of your spare keys and make sure that your car keys are hidden at home and not visible through a window or door.
6. Make certain your car is left in park, with the parking brake up and steering wheel turned to point the front wheels towards the curb as this makes it harder to tow your car.
7. Never leave an unattended car running.
8. Secure your car by fitting your car with an alarm system, anti-smash and grab, immobiliser and ignition disabler, and tracking device, engrave your vehicle identification number (VIN) on expensive car parts to make it unattractive to car thieves and harder for them to dispose of.

Dombo adds that in light of the current luxury car syndicate it is best to take your car into the service provider yourself, so that you can prove that the car was delivered to the servicer.

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