How can I protect my car from being stolen?
Here are more of Confused.com’s top tips to help protect your car from being stolen:
• Lock your vehicle – it sounds obvious but double checking that your car is locked could save you time and money. Also, your car insurance policy may not pay out if your car was left unlocked when it was stolen.
• Invest in multiple layers of security – having a steering wheel lock or handbrake lock helps to secure your car and act as a visual deterrent for thieves.
• If you have keyless entry software, invest in a Faraday pouch to help protect your car against keyless hackers.
• Park somewhere secure. If you don’t have secure parking, aim for a well-lit street.
For more ways to secure your car, and for answers to more common car security questions, take a look at our guide on protecting your car from theft.

Fit a car immobiliser
Most cars on the road have immobilisers fitted to them. Immobilisers have been required by law since 1998.
But if your car is older, possibly a classic car, then consider having them professionally fitted.
Before immobilisers became commonplace, some cars could be ‘hot-wired’ to start without a key. An immobiliser’s job is to stop an engine being run unless the correct key is used.
A car engine only starts if a code inside the key’s transponder chip matches the code planted in the immobiliser, which is usually factory-fitted.
While an immobiliser won’t stop determined thieves from stealing your car, it certainly slows down a car criminal’s progress.
And the more secure your car is, the lower your insurance costs could be. So they’re good news.
If you’re having an immobiliser fitted by an aftermarket installer, make sure the device is Thatcham-approved.

Park in a secure or well-lit location
Choosing where to park could have a dramatic impact on how easy or difficult your vehicle is to steal.
Car thieves don’t like well-lit public roads as they’re easily seen. So, side roads or dimly-lit alleys aren’t sensible to park your car.
That’s common sense, of course. But areas of high crime can be easily avoided, even if you don’t know an area well.
Websites like ParkMark, identify well-maintained and run public car parks.
Smartphone parking apps also make secure parking easier to find. Most have easy-to-use interfaces with on and off-street parking options, plus live availability in some cases.
Some even allow you to track down private rented driveways as an alternative.
Several supermarkets – Morrisons and Tesco are good examples – now rent out parking spaces to non-customers.
There are plenty of tools and solutions to help you keep your vehicle secure and your no-claims bonus intact.
But wherever you park, make sure you park close to other people’s cars. If your car’s a bit isolated, it’s easier to be preyed on.
CCTV cameras add another layer of security, of course.
 
Buy a car with better security as standard
Thatcham Research suggests consumers look at its own car security ratings when choosing their next car.
While premium models often have better security than cheaper cars, it’s not a certainty. And some ‘premium’ vehicles, by their very desirability, are more vulnerable to being stolen.
Thatcham Research recommends asking a dealer if a keyless fob can be turned off overnight – or if it has an automatic ‘sleep’ function.
The good news is that some car makers are now switching to better wireless technology such as Ultra Wide Band (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). These are thought to be more tamper-proof.