Almost 20% of motorists leave valuable items exposed in their car
ALMOST 20 per cent of Irish motorists admit to leaving valuable items exposed in their car, increasing the risk of their car being broken into, according to AA Ireland.
In response to an AA Car Insurance survey of more than 6,000 motorists, 11.22 per cent of those polled admitted to leaving items of value on view in their car on an occasional basis while a further 5.7 per cent and 2.62 per cent admitted to leaving valuables on view on a regular or daily basis.
Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs, said: “As we move into the winter season the risk of both car and home break-ins heightens compared to the summer months, particularly from early-December where Christmas presents may be hidden in your home or car.
“For this reason it’s important that we all exercise additional caution in the coming weeks and months when leaving our cars unattended and that, in particular, we’re cautious about leaving any items of value visible when parking your car anywhere, even if you’re just running into a shop for two minutes.”
The AA also warned motorists to ensure their car is locked when unattended, after more than 16 per cent of people surveyed said they regularly leave their car unlocked when entering a shop to pay for petrol or diesel.
“Staying ahead of burglars and vandals can be difficult, but the last thing you want to do is make their job easier for them by leaving your car unlocked even when you only expect to be away from the car for a few minutes”, Mr Faughnan said.
“We’ve all wandered into a petrol station on at least one occasion and found ourselves stuck there for longer than we anticipated and unfortunately even a short delay can give thieves enough time to access your car.
“It’s also important to be careful with where you leave your keys when at home.
“In the worst case scenario where someone illegally accesses your home the last thing you want is for them to also have access to any valuables in your car or potentially drive off with it.”
