Car washers conniving with thieves?
Oct 06, 2003
Of recent, there has been many incidences of constructive break into vehicle. Car owners find their vehicles opened and vandalised without any evidence of forced entry.
POLICE TIPS
By John Kamya
Of recent, there has been many incidences of constructive break into vehicle. Car owners find their vehicles opened and vandalised without any evidence of forced entry.
Others have found their vehicles driven away. According to Hajji Kisubi, the Old Kampala Division Police Commander, incidences of constructive break into vehicles have become common.
"The incidents have become many. People should revise the way they secure their ignition keys. There is a possibility that thieves acquire copies of their keys and later trail the owners" Kisubi said.
Last week, a lady who proffered not to be names had her car opened in Mukono without any force used. The thief got away with a big sum of money, mobile phone and very important documents.
Kisubi said that one of the possible sources of this problem is the habit by motorists to leave their keys with car washers at the various vehicle-washing bays.
Some car thieves have got contact with car washers and they spot good cars at car washing bays.
They then connive with the washers to print the ignition key on a soap tablet or draw it on paper, duplicate it and the next thing you see is you car disappearing from where you parked without any break-in.
He says car washers usually drive peoples vehicles after washing them to go and impress girls, or do their own business. Most of the mases of car washers crashing their customers' vehicles.
So whenever you take your vehicle for washing, keep the key with you or be present until the washing is completed. This practice should also apply when taking your vehicle to the garage for repair. If you are to leave the key, then use very trusted garages.
The first rule of motor vehicle safety is that always take the ignition key with you whenever you park the vehicle, even when it is parked on your home drive or garage.
This routine should be followed even when you are filling your car at the fuel station, or just popping in a shop to buy a few things. Never leave your vehicle engine running, with the ignition key in and go away. A thief can easily drive away the vehicle.
In June 2003, a motorist left a car with the ignition key in at Bwaise, a suburb of Kampala. A mad man got interested in the car, sat in the drivers seat and drove away.
The car owner was lucky that the madman did not involve the vehicle in an accident. The vehicle was later recovered.
Always keep a duplicate copy of you vehicle ignition key at home for use in case of loss of the original copies. If your key gets lost in unclear circumstances, replace the ignition lock/system that will have other keys altogether. Otherwise thieves may use the lost keys to drive away your car.
When you leave an ignition key in the vehicle, children can easily temper with it and the repercussions may be a bad accident.
Ignition keys are important elements of your car and should always be kept securely.
By John Kamya
Of recent, there has been many incidences of constructive break into vehicle. Car owners find their vehicles opened and vandalised without any evidence of forced entry.
Others have found their vehicles driven away. According to Hajji Kisubi, the Old Kampala Division Police Commander, incidences of constructive break into vehicles have become common.
"The incidents have become many. People should revise the way they secure their ignition keys. There is a possibility that thieves acquire copies of their keys and later trail the owners" Kisubi said.
Last week, a lady who proffered not to be names had her car opened in Mukono without any force used. The thief got away with a big sum of money, mobile phone and very important documents.
Kisubi said that one of the possible sources of this problem is the habit by motorists to leave their keys with car washers at the various vehicle-washing bays.
Some car thieves have got contact with car washers and they spot good cars at car washing bays.
They then connive with the washers to print the ignition key on a soap tablet or draw it on paper, duplicate it and the next thing you see is you car disappearing from where you parked without any break-in.
He says car washers usually drive peoples vehicles after washing them to go and impress girls, or do their own business. Most of the mases of car washers crashing their customers' vehicles.
So whenever you take your vehicle for washing, keep the key with you or be present until the washing is completed. This practice should also apply when taking your vehicle to the garage for repair. If you are to leave the key, then use very trusted garages.
The first rule of motor vehicle safety is that always take the ignition key with you whenever you park the vehicle, even when it is parked on your home drive or garage.
This routine should be followed even when you are filling your car at the fuel station, or just popping in a shop to buy a few things. Never leave your vehicle engine running, with the ignition key in and go away. A thief can easily drive away the vehicle.
In June 2003, a motorist left a car with the ignition key in at Bwaise, a suburb of Kampala. A mad man got interested in the car, sat in the drivers seat and drove away.
The car owner was lucky that the madman did not involve the vehicle in an accident. The vehicle was later recovered.
Always keep a duplicate copy of you vehicle ignition key at home for use in case of loss of the original copies. If your key gets lost in unclear circumstances, replace the ignition lock/system that will have other keys altogether. Otherwise thieves may use the lost keys to drive away your car.
When you leave an ignition key in the vehicle, children can easily temper with it and the repercussions may be a bad accident.
Ignition keys are important elements of your car and should always be kept securely.