3 August 2023

Fleets advised to protect drivers from high-tech car thieves.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported a 25% year-on-year rise in car thefts throughout May, and fleets are advised that they are not taking adequate steps towards theft prevention.

Fleets are being advised to do more to deter thieves using high-tech methods like signal blockers to steal vehicles. Many fleet managers are being very proactive but many more need education on how thieves are stealing cars and what the best prevention methods might be.

Fleets are urged to agree on best practice when dealing with the issue, to help prevent the ongoing rise in company cars and vans being stolen.

There is a range of methods available to the public, many of which are relatively simple and inexpensive to apply. Probably the most common and recognized deterrent would be a Faraday case or wallet to keep the key safe when the vehicle isn’t being driven, as these can prevent the key signal being found by a thief and therefore make the signal impossible to clone.

Another effective method is to use a steering lock, security experts are recommending low-tech responses as a thief would generally not be prepared to remove something like a physical deterrent from a potential target vehicle.

For fleet managers the challenge will be to get drivers on board. A few company car or van drivers may be reluctant due to the vehicle not being ‘theirs’, however fleet managers must re-enforce that employees hold some responsibility for their vehicle and remember to use such methods of protection.