Lock front doors 'to prevent car theft'

While car thefts have fallen in recent months, the number stolen during the break-in of a home has been on the rise, new research has found.

According to research by AA, there has been a 19 per cent rise in the number of vehicles being stolen during a domestic burglary, although overall motor theft has fallen 14 per cent.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, suggested this may be because it is now "almost impossible" to steal a modern car without the keys.

"A common tactic for thieves is to take keys off hall tables or from convenient key racks near the door, simply by fishing for them with a pole through the letterbox," he added.

Research by the cover provider has revealed that some of its recent claims have included keys being stolen while homeowners were in the garden and those fished through the fanlights of windows.

As a result, the firm is urging people to bolt their external doors at night and keep all their keys hidden out of sight in a place that is not obvious.

Police across the country have recently been urging Britons to always lock their front doors, even if they are at home, in order to reduce the risk of falling victim to burglary.

Force 8 supply a full range of arched and composite doors.

Written by Alison Goldman