How to secure your vehicle against thieves

MOTORING 

Mathew Sango, 34, a resident of Kireka, Kampala, returned home from work at around 8:45pm and parked his car in a parking lot opposite his apartment.

In the parking there were vehicles of other tenants, too. But Sango says he was shocked to find the parking lot empty the following morning.

"I am always up by 5:00am during working days. So, when I woke up that day, I got my car keys and went to check on my car," he narrates.

To his surprise, the car was missing. "I could not believe what I was seeing, because I had the keys in my hands," he says.

After that incident, he now always locks the steering wheel while in parking.

Sango is just one of the many people whose cars have been stolen.

According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2019, over 696 cases of stolen vehicles were recorded in Kampala Metropolitan (KMP) area, comprising Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts.

Theft of motor vehicles was highest in KMP South with 267 cases, followed by KMP North with 231 cases and KMP East with 198 cases.

The district/ divisions with highest number of reported theft cases were Katwe division (78 cases), Kira Road division (71 cases) and Kawempe division with 65 cases.

It is estimated that on average, 700 cars are robbed in Kampala annually.

Statistics from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) show that about 2,413 vehicles were stolen from KMP between 2017 and 2019, with 2017 recording more cases, totalling to 848.

How to safeguard a vehicle

The manager Dembe Enterprises Limited in Wandegeya, Eng. Francis Kaziro, says most of the vehicles stolen had security systems.

"The securities of vehicles depend on the manufactures. For example, it is difficult to steal a Benz or a BMW because they have sophisticated interior security facilities, especially the new models," he notes.

He says Benzes and BMWs have special keys which cannot be fabricated like other cars.

Safety measures

Kaziro says there are other safety measures that can be used on other vehicles to safeguard them from being stolen.

He recommends the use of solex locks to firmly lock car doors.

"These are special locks which do not easily open, unless the thief has stolen the key from the owner. It is not easy to duplicate keys for these locks," he says.

But Kaziro explains that having solex locks on all doors is not enough to secure your vehicle.

"If someone has enough time, they can smash the window and access the lock from inside and dismantle it using other tools.

That is why on top of solex locks, you must add other security features on the car. The thieves at times have master keys which can even open seven to10 cars, but these locks are still hard for them," he notes.

Electrical gadgets

Kaziro says one can divert the electoral currents from the ignition coil to stop the car from starting.

"With this system, it is only the owner and your mechanic who always know where the safety button is. This mainly targets fuel and current flows," he notes.

He says there are other secret security measures which can be agreed upon between the owner and their mechanics.

He notes that some people opt to remove their batteries when they park their cars.

Steering wheel lock

Car owners are also advised to use steering wheel locks to block the steering wheel from turning.

Kaziro also urges drivers to always keep their vehicles locked, even while driving and always remember to remove the keys from the car after parking.

Alarms

The manager Dembe Enterprises Limited in Wandegeya, Kampala, Eng. Francis Kaziro, notes that alarms which make sirens can easily be disabled by robbers.

He advises people to rather use horns, saying these are always hidden.

He says car owners should also install tracking devices to easily trace their vehicle once stolen.

"Insurance companies consider security systems in your car before any compensation is done," he warns.