Stolen cars

Theft of cars across the island,:

The following advice conveys the reality of stealing a vehicle and addresses the mundane, ancient and irrelevant information cited here.

Locking your doors and closing windows is common sense and will help prevent theft FROM a vehicle but will have little if any effect upon theft OF the car.

Modern, post-2000 cars are equipped with engine management units i.e., they are computer-controlled. To start the car the transponder chip in a car key needs to be in the vicinity of the vehicle. Therefore, no key = no start = no drive = no steal.  It appears unlikely Bermuda car thieves utilise electronic bypass equipment or ‘uplift’ cars. Therefore, key your keys safe, away from the vehicle when the car is not in use.

The obvious ‘leave a car to run/warm-up’, whilst likely less frequent on the island, is an invitation to thieves – do not do it. If the keys are in the car, so should you be.

Some thieves will move from car-to-car testing door handles – they may simply want the contents; they may get lucky and find keys inside- do not leave car or house keys in a vehicle.

Some thieves will move from house-to-house testing door handles … an open property may provide access to car keys, sometimes the door left with house keys on the inside of the lock.

Parties (less likely/frequent due to Covid) may mean an open or less secure home.

Celebratory, social, drinking, may lead to dangerous driving decisions, collisions and alleged thefts. Thinking then drinking – in that order!

If you leave your keys in or about the car and it is taken, will (should) your insurers pay you for your loss?

‘Stolen’ but crashed, should be the subject of investigation indeed, any vehicle recovered relatively quickly after the theft requires attention – if only to ensure the integrity of the security. It appears many have forgotten the lessons learned for ‘Operation Igneous’, a police initiative of 20 years ago which remain relevant to this day.

Ask your police to receive training in vehicle crime; theft of vehicles and potentially false reports of them.