People who find a new car 'should keep keys hidden'

Nov 12 2010, 04:43 PM

The second quarter of 2010 saw a three per cent rise in the number of cars which had been stolen and recovered through the use of an owner's keys.

Those who find a car should make sure they leave their keys out of sight, after theft from using this device rose again in the second quarter of 2010.

Research by Tracker found that during this period, 83 per cent of cars which were recovered had been stolen in the first place as a result of the owner's keys being used. This is a hike of three per cent compared to the first quarter of the year.

It was also found that the most common cars to be stolen and recovered are models from manufacturers Audi, Mercedes and BMW, with the latter's X5 topping the list overall.

Those who find a car in the Greater London and London region are most at risk in the UK of going through the motion of having their car stolen and recovered.

Stephen Doran, managing director for Tracker, advised: "Consumers are looking for used car bargains and thieves will shift their targets to suit demand, which means everyone needs to protect their vehicle from theft."

Meanwhile, drivers have been warned by the HPI to look out for dangerous vehicles which have been brought back on the road by criminals, despite previously being written off.