Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

Drivers are being warned that by not securing their vehicles properly they could face increased car insurance premiums.

The warning, from consumer watchdog Which?, comes with a revelation that criminals are finding more intelligent ways of breaking in to vehicles.

Standard anti-theft devices such as immobilisers and alarms are no longer having the desired effect when it comes to securing cars and Which? says more advanced technologies are now needed.

The latest item to become the main focus of thieves' attention is satellite navigation (sat nav) systems, which can be sold on the black market.

Which? has found that many motorists are underestimating just how clever some thieves are and fail to take proper precautions.

Police say criminals are becoming more and more sophisticated in the way they get in to cars and also with what they do with them afterwards.

"Stolen cars are often cloned - given a new identity - and sold in the UK or abroad, or stripped for spares," a Metropolitan Police stolen vehicle unit spokesman told Reuters.

Drivers are being urged to remove sat nav systems from view while their car is left unattended and to ensure they take proper precautions to prevent their vehicle becoming a target for thieves.

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