When it comes to car thefts, the statistics are very worrying… the number of car thefts soared by nearly 9% in 2018, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Annual ONS Crime Statistics show that theft increased from 103,493 in 2017 to 113,037 (8.8%) last year. This figure is an increase of 47% since the historic low of 70,053 vehicle thefts recorded between Apr 2013 and March 2014.
Last year’s surge in stolen vehicles was a major contributor in the 2% increase in total offences, which also include figures for aggravated vehicle taking, theft from a vehicle and “vehicle interference”.
Car robbery has gone from being the work of amateur, opportunist thieves to a finely tuned professional (illegal!) operation over the years. A car is stolen every 5 minutes in Britain, due to criminal gangs hacking keyless systems.
How you can protect your vehicle
The Police, insurance companies and the AA and RAC all recommend window etching to protect your car against theft as it makes it much more difficult for thieves to make a profit from the vehicle.
This is because when your vehicle’s glass is etched with a unique number, thieves have to replace all of the glass on the car or try to remove the etching, both of which are time consuming and costly, making it a good deterrent. It would be much easier for them to steal one of your unfortunate neighbour’s cars who don’t have etched windows.
According to the figures, etched vehicles are 45% less likely to be stolen and 50% more likely to be recovered in comparison to a non-etched vehicle!
Security Window Etching Service
Here at Halfords, we offer a comprehensive Security Window Etching Service. Just bring your car into one of our stores where we will;
- Carry out visible and permanent window etching of a unique code onto 6 windows
Your glass is etched with a unique code and the logo of the International Security Register (the ISR) via a chemical etching process so that the code is clearly visible and lasts forever. The service includes etching of up to six windows (including your front and back windscreen) thus ensuring maximum protection against possible cloning.
The etching process is very quick, it only takes about 10-15 minutes so you can wait while it is being done. Our car etching is done at the bottom of the glass so it doesn’t obstruct your view or affect the look of your car.
- Etch a code unique to each vehicle to protect against vehicle cloning
VIN cloning or car cloning is where people use a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a legally registered car to hide the identity of a stolen or salvaged vehicle. This involves replacing the license plate of a stolen car with a plate containing the number of a vehicle of a similar make, model and year from another city, county or country with a valid registration.
With etched windows, your car will still be clearly identifiable even if a car thief tries to perform VIN cloning on your vehicle.
This code is;
- Linked to a secure, fully certified database available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Recognised, valued and used by all Police Forces in the UK
- Highly visible - puts criminals at maximum risk of being caught
So, without further delay, pop into your local Halfords store where one of our expert team can carry out our Security Window Etching Service it for you quickly and easily. We also sell various other accessories to keep your car safe, including steering wheel locks, wheel clamps, driveway security, key security and trackers; browse our car security section online for the full range.