For those that didn't see Driven last night, there was a very interesting part about theft of car keys. In the space of six hours, ten drivers filled up with petrol, then went to pay leaving the keys in the ignition. Also, it is becomming common for keys to be stolen through the letter box.
The advice is never to leave the keys in the ignition if you leave the car, even for a few minutes (common sense), and never leave your keys near the front door or any other place where they can be removed by some crafty bastard with a length of bamboo with a hook on the end.
The simple reason is that ALL insurance companies will not pay out for cars that have been stolen using the keys.
Andy
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Agree, a well researched and presented topic which should be close to all drivers hearts (or those of us that are actually insured), also the presenters approach to the drivers who left keys in their respective cars was, I thought non embarrassing and constructive. Driven is now a much better program than Top Gear.
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Andy P wrote:
>
> The simple reason is that ALL insurance companies will not
> pay out for cars that have been stolen using the keys.
>
Er, not quite true
The insurance companies will not pay out for a car stolen with the keys left in or on it. They will pay out if someone pinches them from inside your house. The reason for this is, that you have made a reasonable attempt to prevent the keys being stolen (that is unless you left the door wide open). They will also pay out if you were car jacked.
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I didn't see the first part of Driven about the car keys theft. Were they making the point that modern alarms/immobs do make it hard to pinch a decent car, much easier to pinch the keys and take the car at leisure a few days later.
I understand those at the lower end of the criminal scale will do the house for your car keys and pass them on to the bigger boys.
If you ever have your filler flap or its lock barrel levered off (on a single key set-up) and taken in the night and no fuel is stolen...then beware. They'll be back to easily drive off the car in a day or two!
David
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The point was made that the level of security on many modern cars makes taking the keys in some way - e.g. two thieves stage a small accident such as a minor rear end shunt. Victim discusses matter with one thief while the other nips round to vicitm's car, which probably still has keys in it & drives off - a much more attractive proposition for car thieves.
Also showed someone lifting keys from hallway table using stick with hook on the end poked through letterbox & a surprising number of people leaving their keys in the ignition while they pop into newsagents, use cash point, pay for petrol etc.
Anyone who leaves their keys in the ignition for even a matter of seconds while car is unattended is a bit silly if you ask me.
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Whenever I take a car for an MOT I lock it and hand over the keys. When I go to pick it up later they direct me to the yard, where my car is sitting, along with lots of others, with the keys inside.
All garages I have ever been to do this.
What is the insurance position? Supposing I have already paid and 'taken possession' before discovering that the car has been stolen?
Cliff Pope
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Sound advice!
I did get round to replying to the Cov. thread. Did you spot it?
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Only point is if somebody runs into the back of you it's possible you might be shaken up and forget to take your keys...
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I wouldn't necessarily define the accident situation as leaving the car unattended - if you're at the back of the car looking at potential damage it's hardly unattended.
I s'pose some git of an insurance company could say the *keys* were unattended in those circumstances but it would be a bit unreasonable and I can't say that I'd be able to remember to calmly remove the keys from the ignition and lock the driver's door.
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Andy P wrote:
> The advice is never to leave the keys in the ignition if you
> leave the car, even for a few minutes (common sense), and
> never leave your keys near the front door or any other place
> where they can be removed by some crafty bastard with a
> length of bamboo with a hook on the end.
>
> The simple reason is that ALL insurance companies will not
> pay out for cars that have been stolen using the keys.
My advice is never to leave your car unlocked - even when it's within sight
When I fill up with diesel, the car gets locked while I pay, regardless.
(Unless you are talking about that deserted Esso station to the south of
Lichfield...)
/John
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It is amazing. I remember the case, last year, of a distraught mother whose car had been stolen with her 2 year old daughter in the back. She had left the engine running while she paid for her petrol. Fortunately, car and daughter found abandonned in side road.
I also wonder about hire car firms. The usual instruction, when leaving the car at my house for collection by the hire car company, is "leave keys under sun visor" or "leave keys in exhaust pipe".
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i can't remember ever leaving the car without having the keys in my hand. It's second nature. Probably a form of paranoia derived in early childhood ...
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... or from early adult hood when my sister locked her keys inside her car. We knew it was in theory possible to open the doors using a coat hanger, but in practice it was quicker to phone the AA...
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I don't know of anyone losing their car off a petrol station forecourt but do know of several who have lost mobile phones, CD players, laptops and other goodies. Friends are always extracting the proverbial but I always remove the Stereo face, take my mobile and lock the car when I fill up.
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I used to fillup with the keys in the petrol cap on top of the pump. After programs like this I now hold the cap and keys in my hand!
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I would like to add please everyone dont as the mornings are getting colder start the car and leave it on the drive to warm up/defrost. As cars do have imobilizers now days it is forcing theives who cant by pass imobilizers to pypass the immobilizer the easy way by pinching the keys.
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