The key to car safety (From Brentwood Weekly News)

The key to car safety

2:38pm Friday 10th July 2009

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MOTORISTS were more concerned with locking away laptops or other items rather than keeping their car keys safe despite huge numbers of thefts of cars parked outside homes, new research has shown.

A study among 3,000 adults by car giant Vauxhall and Bedfordshire Police found virtually everyone gave no thought to hiding their car keys from view.

Many said it was more important to protect television sets or jewellery despite evidence car key thefts from houses led to thousands of cars being stolen last year.

ON SHOW

Many drivers questioned said they left their car key by the front door or easily on show in the kitchen.

Chief inspector James Goldsmith, of Bedfordshire Police, said: “Despite a 10 per cent reduction in burglaries across Bedfordshire during 2008, this survey confirms our own and national findings that many residents fail to take the basic steps of keeping their car keys out of sight and easy reach.

“A vehicle is often the second biggest expenditure for a household and having a vehicle stolen can cause major disruption, cost, inconvenience and emotional upset to the people concerned.”

Vauxhall spokesman Simon Ewart added: “It’s easy to forget a car key is a valuable possession which needs to be kept safe.”

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