Sat Nabbed?

Sat nav theft is a fast growing area of crime which causes victims a lot of hassle and expense.

Sat nav equipment can cost you around £300 to buy. To a car thief, it is worth £50-£70 when they sell it on illegally. However, you will end up having to repair any damage caused breaking in to your car – replacing a window or repairing a door – and of course buying new sat nav equipment.

You can significantly reduce the chance of your vehicle being targeted by taking a few simple precautions:

Disconnect and remove your sat nav every time you leave your car
Remove the suction mounted fittings and erase any marks they leave
Don’t put the sat nav in the glove compartment – thieves may be watching you
Make a note of the serial number of your equipment and keep it in a safe place
Put your house number and postcode on the equipment using an ultraviolet marker
Park in a well lit, busy area or a secure car park

In West Mercia 65% of sat nav thefts take place after 4pm – 38% between 8pm and midnight. The majority are taken from vehicles left in car parks and parked driveways.

West Mercia Constabulary has developed a ‘Sat Nabbed?’ leaflet and poster campaign to provide guidance on how to protect your sat nav equipment from being stolen and reduce the number of these offences in the force area.