Parents beware: are you leaving £500 worth of baby products in your car for thieves?

Having children often means that as parents, we are always taking

Thieves are on the prowl, and they won't sniff at even your baby's toys
Thieves are on the prowl, and they won't sniff at even your baby's toys

bits and bobs to pacify children during car journeys, or just leaving items that we use often in the ca so we don’t have to through the hassle of taking them in and out of the car. That sounds like efficiency at its best, but in leaving these often expensive items in the car, we are also creating a den for thieves, too.

 

Parents are being warned not to leave valuable baby equipment in their cars overnight as a recent survey by a car insurer has found that baby items worth up to £500 are being left in cars – making them attractive to thieves.

The research found that two thirds (66%) of parents also leave pushchairs in their car, despite spending more than £300 on them. In addition to this parents leave toys, books and travel cots in their cars, and together they all add up to a small fortune for beady eyed thieves.

The top five baby items that parents regularly leave overnight in their cars are:

Pushchairs (66%)
Toys (52%)
Books (35%)
Spare coats (24%)
Travel cots (3.89%)

As well as having costly items in their cars, more than half (53%) of Brits have admit to forgetting to lock their cars, making them easier prey for thieves.  Despite this, less than half of Brits (46%) think they should be more careful about leaving items in their car overnight and 58% of UK drivers have admitted to keeping items in their cars overnight to avoid carrying them in out of the house when making a journey.

Andy James, spokesperson for Your Cover Insurance, which conducted  the survey warned parents: “Baby equipment is expensive so it’s important to remember that costly items could be stolen if their car is broken into.   Parents are very good at making sure they have all the essentials to cater for travelling with young children but they also need to be mindful of car security too.

“If you take precautions such as taking equipment with you when you leave the car or making sure it is locked away out of sight, you can discourage thieves from seeing your car as a target.”

Worryingly, the survey also found that Brits only value their cars contents at just over £100, so in the event of the unthinkable happening, parents would be left seriously out of pocket.  Parents are particularly at risk as there is a big gap between their perception and the reality of the cost of their children’s items.

Andy James continues: “It is interesting to see how much Brits underestimate the value of items they leave in their cars. We are urging parents to ensure they have adequate insurance to cover these items. With our ‘Your Cover’ policies you can ‘design’ your own car insurance, so if you are leaving equipment behind you can make sure the value of the items are covered up to £1,000 if your car is broken into.”

Here are some tips to keep your car safe from thieves:

  • Try not to leave anything on show in your car when leaving your vehicle. A thief may see a coat and think there is something valuable underneath.
  • If you have a roof box or trailer, and have to leave items inside make sure it is properly closed and locked, and that trailer is covered and secured with padlocks

    The Home Office reports that having security equipment makes your car ten times more safer,especially having an electronic immobiliser

    A steering lock is a low-cost deterrent as long as you remember to use it when you leave your vehicle

    Park your car in a well-lit, secure area and if you have a garage it is worth taking the time to park your car inside as the risk of theft reduces significantly.

Joycellyn Akuffo

Founder and editor of www.motherswhowork.co.uk, a mother of two wonderful children, wife, entrepreneur (check out www.geekschool.co.uk) and journalist.

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