Cops and robbers: Natalie Wallis finds that thieves are playing a new game when it comes to stealing fleet vehicles

Vehicle security has always been a pertinent issue to fleet managers but now, as company cars appear to be coming under specific attack from criminals, it is of paramount importance. Although figures from the British Crime Survey suggest that general vehicle-related theft has declined by 31% since 1997, Autoglass has data that shows smash and grab car crime escalated by 20% between 2002 and 2003--with company vehicles taking the brunt of this crime wave.

According to Autoglass's 10th annual car crime report, there are now over 2.5m smash and grab car crimes in the UK every year--that equates to 300 an hour. And it's fleets that are coming off worst, with the typical cost of an attack standing at 502 [pounds sterling]; that's 49% higher than the national average.

This trend is borne out by Thatcham, a world leader in vehicle security testing. Martyn Randle, research engineer at Thatcham, says: "When it comes to fleets, 'theft of' vehicles is not a major problem these days as vehicle security has become more comprehensive. Instead 'theft from' is a growing problem as thieves increasingly tackle the contents of cars."

A rather lucrative move considering the thousands of pounds' worth of laptops, sales samples, mobile phones and other equipment that today's company car drivers carry around So, far from being at the bottom of the food chain, smash and grab thieves are among the country's most successful entrepreneurs, with profits of 826m [pounds sterling] last year, according to Autoglass.

"Today's criminal is not stupid," agrees Randle. "He knows what type of cars are being used by fleets, he knows where they park up, for example to have lunch, and he knows how best to get into them. It's exactly like hunting but with fleets as the prey."

So how can fleets protect the contents of their cars?

One way is to ensure tougher glass is used in your cars as half of thefts from vehicles occur through a smashed window. Pentagon Glass Tech has developed a security film which takes the form of a plastic sheet applied to the inside surface of vehicle windows. Although the glass can still be broken, it is more difficult to remove as the film holds it intact. Costs vary but average at around 300 [pounds sterling] for an average family saloon car,

There are a variety of other products on the market that can prevent thefts of valuables including safes, such as those produced by Bulldog, chain mail anti-theft bags and even locks for sets of golf clubs, as made by Crusader Anti-Theft Products. All help to prevent costly and time-consuming insurance claims as well as avoiding the stress and inconvenience of having items stolen Locking wheel nuts are also worth investigating for a cheap, easy-to-fit and highly visible deterrent to theft of alloys.

Although the number of thefts of vehicles may be declining--thanks in part to manufacturer improvements in security--fleet managers still need to prioritise the level of security equipment on new vehicles. Thatcham now produces security ratings for all new cars, vans and trucks, showing how easy it is to steal from the vehicle as well as to take the vehicle itself. Available online at www.ncsr.co.uk, the scheme is intended to enable vehicle buyers to make an informed decision.

It is also worth looking at existing fleet vehicles to ensure they offer optimum security. All cars sold since October 1998 are equipped with immobilisers as standard but according to Autoglass just half of all motorists have an alarm on their vehicle. By installing an aftermarket product--which range in price from 40 [pounds sterling] to 850 [pounds sterling]--fleets can not only protect their vehicle but also the contents as well.

All alarms and security devices should either be approved by Thatcham or by Sold Secure (a non-profit making company dedicated to reducing the risk of crime by the assessment of security products). Alternatively they should meet the standards of the Association of Chief Police Officers Crime Prevention or the British Standards Automobile Series, or carry a Loss Prevention Standard Fitted devices should be installed by a professional--either your car dealer or by an installer approved by the Vehicle Systems Installation Board.

Although it may not seem as obvious, etching is another effective deterrent. Most windscreen replacement companies can etch either the registration number or the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) onto all glass surfaces--including headlamps.

Yet most traditional security systems are ineffective at dealing with the growing criminal trend of key theft As vehicle security has improved, thieves are resorting to stealing the owner's keys to access and take a vehicle. According to stolen vehicle recovery specialist Tracker, in 2002 41% of Tracker-fitted cars and LCVs were stolen in this way--so far in 2004 this figure has risen to an astonishing 82%.

What's more, Tracker's managing director, Kevin Watters, reckons [iris figure is set to rise: "We anticipate that a growing number of cars will be stolen in this way as thieves become increasingly inventive."

Working in partnership with the Home Office, Tracker has initiated the 'Key Aware' campaign to warn motorists to take more care of their car keys. The campaign encourages drivers to remove the ignition key and lock all doors every time they leave a vehicle unattended and to keep their keys in a safe place.

"We've experienced incidents where thieves have pushed hooks through letterboxes to fish out the keys," says Watters. "Drivers should make sure their keys are always to hand, even in their own house."

Tracker's campaign also highlights the growing worth of vehicle tracking systems, which use satellite positioning technology or land-based radio transmissions to detect stolen vehicles. Every month the company retrieves around 1.2m [pounds sterling] worth of vehicles that were stolen using the keys. Without such a system, Watters says that the chances of getting a vehicle back are "pretty remote".

Not only can tracking systems increase the chance of recovering a stolen vehicle but they also offer benefits in terms of insurance with most insurers considering a pro rata discount or rebate as part of a fleet quotation.

In fact, tracking systems are playing such a big role in dealing with key theft that Thatcham is currently working with insurance companies, the police, and alarm and tracking companies to establish a set of criteria for checking tracking systems. The Thatcham Category 5 criteria will enable the fitting of industry approved products, with the first list of approved systems to be available from June.

An alternative way of combating key theft crime is to fit an alarm with a key theft protection system such as the new S series range of systems from security brand Sigma, part of the Toad Group. These require a PIN code to be entered into the system for the car to start up, effectively combating key thieves.

Paul Grimond, sales director of Toad, comments: "Key theft is a well-planned and orchestrated crime that cannot be beaten by traditional security systems. However, the Sigma key theft protection system can be particularly effective at protecting against such crimes."

Another method of obtaining access to cars is carjacking which often seems to get attention-grabbing headlines in the national press.

Watters believes that there will be more carjackings in the future as thieves become more brazen. "In these instances, we would advise drivers not to take the law into their own hands!"

Randle is more sceptical of carjacking reports: "Carjacking stories tend to make the headlines but are not really relevant to the majority of fleets as they tend to go for higher-value vehicles. It's only executive-type cars that are at risk."

For such vehicles, it can be worth exploring the benefits of tracking systems as well as other devices that can help deal with carjacking. One example is Honda's RoadRage Personal Attack System, which features a concealed panic button that triggers off a 120dB siren with a loud voice message saying that the driver is being attacked.

Another option is using devices, such as Metasystem's GPA800 telematics system, that give owners of stolen vehicles the option of immobilising the vehicle once it has been stopped, preventing the thief from driving it again.

However, Randle warns fleets to beware of devices that allow owners to immobilise moving cars, "These contravene the Road Traffic Act and, in the event of a fatal accident involving the thief, could open up the owner to being prosecuted for manslaughter."

It's always going to be difficult to stay ahead of car criminals Whatever manufacturers do to protect cars, thieves will find a way to overcome them. In the battle to protect your fleet the only answer is to use all weapons at your disposal. Even then, you can't guarantee that you won't end up losing a car or its contents. But at least you'll have made it harder for the thief.

COPYRIGHT 2004 DMG World Media Ltd.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group