Parking your car safely

Auckland City Council is working to clamp-down on theft from parked vehicles.

Background

Theft from cars is one of the most common crimes to occur in Auckland city. It is also known as theft ex car and involves the theft of property from vehicles such as wheels and stereos, along with personal items like bags, briefcases, laptops, mobile phones, CDs, wallets, and sunglasses, etc.

On average about 8,000 vehicles are broken into every year in Auckland city. That means approximately 200 people in every 10,000 will be victims of this type of crime in Auckland.

Most thieves who target cars are opportunists and will be encouraged if they can see items in a vehicle. Ensuring there is nothing on display in your vehicle can make your car less attractive to thieves.

Thieves targeting cars generally gain entry to vehicles by picking locks or smashing windows. It is usually an opportunistic crime, but you can take precautions to protect your vehicle from theft.

Below are a few simple steps you can take:

always lock your vehicle, even when you leave the car only for a few seconds
take your keys with you when you park your car
don't leave things on display
take valuables like mobile phones, wallets, laptops with you or leave them at home - do not under any circumstances leave them in the car
do not store items under the seat of the car or in the glove box
do not try to cover up belongings with a coat or blanket
keep bags or luggage out of sight or in the boot
keep a record of car stereo numbers.

There are also things you can do to reduce the chance your vehicle will be stolen. They include:

take your vehicle keys with you when you park your car
keep spare keys at home or work - do not keep them in the car
always lock your car, including the boot and sunroof
try to park in busy, well-lit areas
if you can, install a car alarm
use a steering wheel club or lock.

See also Carpark+ safer parking scheme for more information about car park safety standards.