Robert Powell looks at how your dashboard-mounted pal could land you with some unwanted visitors...
My mother is jealous of my father’s Sat Nav. Not because it’s more expensive or flashier than hers – in fact, she doesn’t even own one – but because it has the voice of a woman. A woman my dad has named Gwendolen and will listen to faithfully, even when my mother is clutching a map and screaming the opposite directions.
I’m tempted to show her how to change the Sat Nav voice, but can’t bring myself to give up the hours of in-car entertainment provided by lengthy quarrels between a grown woman and a computer.
Yet what this Sat Nav debacle does demonstrate is the way that in-car GPS has now fully taken off. After all, Mr Powell doesn’t usually take on new digital fads in a hurry. And indeed, if new research from AXA is to be believed, around 25 million of us now use some form of Sat Nav technology in our car.
Robert Powell hits the streets to find out what you know about car insurance
But while these digital directioneers can be invaluable for the seasoned motorist, they’re also pretty useful for burglars...
You have reached your destination
You hop in your car after a long day in a long meeting at an office a long way away, switch your Sat Nav on and hit ‘Go Home’. Then after a long drive you finally hear the most satisfying words a Sat Nav can ever blurt out: “You have reached your destination.”
However, if you then leave your Sat Nav – or even worse, your Sat Nav and your house keys – in the car, you could find someone else quickly reaching the same destination and helping themselves to your possessions.
Yes, new figures from AXA suggest that increasing levels of Sat Nav ownership may be contributing to rising burglary levels. Indeed, as we pointed out earlier this week, burglaries have jumped by 14% in the last year.
The issue is that around half of UK Sat Nav owners will program their ‘home’ address into their digital companion. This means that if a burglar breaks into your car and gets hold of your Sat Nav, they’ll also know exactly where you live, and may well pay you an unwanted visit.
AXA estimates that of the 25 million people who use some form of Sat Nav, 12 million will leave the device in their car (around 3 million of these are actually build into the car). And what’s worse is that around 8.5 million of us will also leave our house keys in the car while one in five will hide them somewhere outside our property.
Needless to say, leaving your Sat Nav and car keys in the same location gives burglars all the tools they need to reap a bumper harvest of your personal possessions.
[SPOTLIGHT]But fortunately this pricey pitfall is fairly easy to sidestep.
Get sat savvy (put in numbers)
AXA has provided some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a Sat Nav burglary:
Programme your home address as somewhere near to your house, rather than your actual address. If you want to be really cunning (and live in the appropriate area) input the address of the nearest police station as your home location. That way, if your Sat Nav does get pinched, at least you’ll give the burglars a nasty shock if they try to find your home.
If you are able to, always remove your Sat Nav from your car.
Wipe away any ‘sucker’ marks from your windscreen (caused by your Sat Nav’s holder) and clear away any cables – two sure signs that you own a Sat Nav.
Never EVER leave house keys in your car – even if they are in the glove box.
Try to avoid leaving keys outside your house. Burglars are often clued up as to the usual hiding places.
And it’s not just your Sat Nav that could lead thieves straight to your door...
Phone blunders
More and more people are now using their mobile phones as a Sat Nav. But if you leave your phone in your car, you could suffer the same fate as your Sat Nav-using cousins!
Even if you don’t own a car, it’s still a good idea to check your mobile phone for any giveaway signs of your home address, as well as records of passwords and apps that may access your bank accounts.
Robert Powell hits the streets to dispel these home insurance myths
Remember to always protect your phone using a PIN code. And try not to use a code that’s too obvious, as if your wallet (and driving licence) is stolen as well as your phone, the first PIN the thief will try will probably be your date of birth. Likewise, never use your birthday as a PIN for your bank accounts.
In addition, never post your address or birthday details online and if you’re heading away on holiday, try to resist the temptation to brag about it online. Nothing says ‘I’m not in for two weeks – come and burgle me’ like a post sharing your excitement about an upcoming fortnight in the Algarve!
Head to How to prevent your phone being hacked for some further mobile safety tips.
Home insurance
One final way to protect yourself from the impact of burglary is to ensure you have a full and up-to-date home insurance policy. Not only will this cover reimburse you if you are burgled, it can also protect you against breakages, accidental damage and emergency repair costs.
Head to Eight reasons to switch your home insurance today for some tips on getting the right policy for the best price.
More: Get a home insurance quote | Seven home insurance rip-offs | Four disasters that will ruin your Bank Holiday