Expert Advice on How to Prevent Your Car Theft - DirectAsia
Question: How long do you think it takes to steal a car?
Answer: About 10 seconds
“Video from a surveillance camera showed that 10 seconds was all it took for a man to unlock the driver-side door of the missing car and drive it away.” Straits Times, Aug 12, 2015 How can you steal a car in 10 seconds? That’s hardly long enough for the owner to yell “Hey, that’s my car. Someone is stealing my car.”
Despite all the CCTV cameras and deterrents we have in the Lion City, auto security specialist The Silent Car Alarm estimates that “in Singapore, 1 car is stolen every 4 days while in Malaysia, 150 vehicles are stolen daily.”
So, short of hiring a private detective to find you car, what can you do to prevent car theft?
Anti-Theft Device
Most car workshops carry a range of anti-theft devices ranging from car alarms to immobilisers or GPS vehicle tracking systems. They are simple to install yourself and act as a strong detreent to would-be thieves. Simple logic dictates that if a thief has a choice between a car with a visible anti-theft device and one without, the thief will take the easy option. The reason why a car can be gone in sixty seconds usually has to do with the effort it takes to steal the car.
The Silent Car Alarm
The immobiliser found in many luxury cars may not sufficiently protect your car. The Silent Car Alarm, automatically sends an alert (by SMS or email) if your car is stolen. Car owners can then track the car whereabouts real-time and call the police. Using the geofence capabilities, you can set the system to notify you if your car is detected within 200m of the Causeway.
Singapore Police Recommendations
The Singapore Police Force offers this advice for car owners driving in Singapore and South East Asia -
- Engrave the vehicle registration number on the windscreens.
- Install an alarm system.
- Lock all doors and wind up all windows.
- Do not leave the keys in the ignition switch.
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Install an anti-theft alarm system, locks for the steering wheel, clutch, brake and gear, if necessary.
The Smart Way To Protect Your Car
Buying car insurance with DirectAsia is as simple as 1,2,3. Choose the plan you want, pay the way you want, you’re insured! Get a quote and find out how you can save up to 25% on your car insurance or call us at 6665 5555 now.
