So I've parked my car and there are a few things I need to do to make it secure

and less attractive to the criminal.

A lot of car crime is opportunistic which means that the criminal will

walk past, see something on display, smash a window and take it.

Here are a few tips to ensure that this doesn't happen to you.

This is satellite navigation equipment - increasingly popular as the prices come down;

unfortunately we're finding that they're increasingly popular with the criminals as well.

One thing you need to do when you leave the car

and that's take the satellite navigation equipment wth you, including the bracket.

By leaving the bracket in that position it does tend to indicate that there is sat nav

in the car still and cars have been broken into just to see in the glovebox.

It's also important that you wipe the windscreen clear of any suction cap marks

and that leaves no trace of there ever having been a sat nav in the car at all.

Once you've taken the trouble to take the sat nav equipment off

it's important that you take it with you. Don't leave it in the glovebox!

The other thing which you need to take with you is the fixtures and fittings in the car

like the car stereo. Hopefully, yours will be easy to remove.

Again, make sure you take it with you when you go.

It may seem obvious but it's important to remember to close all your windows

and your sunroof especially in the summer months.

So having taken all of the equipment out of the car

it's important that we take it with us when we go.

It's also important, as well as taking the bag, to remember

to take anything else with us which looks attractive to the thief.

an old coat on the back seat may look like something and nothing

but the question is: What's it hiding?

So it's important you take such things as that away with you as well -

and whatever you do make sure you lock the car.