Top Security Tips for a Multi-layered Approach to Vehicle Protection

Whilst theft and burglary offences in the year that ended June 2022 were slightly lower than pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, there was still a 17% increase on the previous year, and the highest type of theft recorded is still vehicle-related at 22,728 incidences for the year – about 62 every hour. Sadly, with the increasing cost of living crisis, these figures are likely to continue to rise rather than fall. Police continue to be frustrated by the number of people who don’t lock their sheds, garages or bikes and who fail to register them as well – so when they do recover stolen items, they are unable to return them to owners. Obviously then, the first port of call has to be to lock up your gear.

Multi-layer security is a term everyone is familiar with in terms of cybersecurity. Basically, it means having more than one level of security control, and a couple of steps to go through to get onto the website or into the account you desire. We’re all used to having to take these steps to verify who we are when we log in to buy something on Amazon with email and text verification, so why not apply the same principle of multi-layered security for our houses, sheds, garages and vehicles? It’s a no-brainer!

Here at Image4Security we firmly believe that the best security is lots of it, so let’s look at how you can use the multi-layer security approach for your garage, shed and vehicles.

 

Security on the go

When you’re out and about, you can multi-layer your security by making sure you double-lock your bike or motorbike. Use a D-Lock or chain which has a diameter of at least 14 mm, as this is a thickness that manual bolt cutters are unable to cut through. You must ensure that the lock and chain is passed through the wheels and frame of the vehicle and around something immovable, such as a piece of street furniture, bike rack or lamp post. The tighter the lock is around the bike and what it is secured to, the harder it is for bolt cutters to get the right angle around the chain or lock, making it much trickier to cut through. The police recommend that you use two different types of lock – front and back – that would require a thief to use different tools to get through each one as this will, hopefully, put them off even trying. The longer it takes them to break the bike or motorbike free, the longer there is for someone to notice what they’re doing. Other locks that could be paired with a chain or D-Lock are disk locks and grip locks, any combination will deter a thief.

An even greater deterrent is to purchase D-Locks or chains which are alarmed. Image4security has a range of chains, D-Locks and padlocks which are fitted with anti-tamper alarms. They are waterproof (IP67) and if tampered with, will emit an ear-splitting 120dB shriek that can be heard for half a kilometre, so you are already doubling up your motorbike or bike’s protection with both a visible and audible deterrent.

Some other smart tips to make a thief’s job harder include:

• Location – Choose a spot to lock up where there are plenty of people or traffic passing by and preferably CCTV cameras, which can be good deterrents to a thief.
• Remove parts – Carry any removable parts away, such as lights, helmets, saddle bags and, if you can carry them, wheels.
• Cover it up – If you can throw a cover over it, then there’s less to tempt the eye of a prospective thief, and removing it will take them longer to get to what’s underneath.

Security at home

This is everything above and more. As you’re likely leaving your motorbike or new fancy road bike in a garage or shed, you need to make sure that you take extra precautions as it’s not a public spot with people passing by. It won’t be long before an opportunistic scum bag will try to hop over the fence or sneak past your security lights when you’re away on holiday or watching TV. So you need to lock it up with at least the same level of security as if you’ve locked it to a bike rack to pop into McDonald’s.

A ground or wall anchor which can be secured to the floor or wall of your shed or garage will provide the solid, immovable item, instead of a lamppost or bike rack, to lock your bike with an alarmed chain and D-Lock up to. This provides the layers of security mentioned above and will certainly go a long way to deterring all but the most determined thief.

To maximise the security of your vehicle you will need a robust and tough security chain to be used in conjunction with your ground or wall anchor. Our Guardsman range of security chains are industry leading and offer incredible resistance to attack. The chains are made from a carbon steel alloy which is incredibly tough to both bolt crop and angle grind. In a size for size cutting test against the markets leading brands our Guardsman chain outperformed the nearest rival by 15% in a timed attack. In order to lock your security chain up we have our Zovii alarmed padlocks, which are made from stainless steel and offer a ear piercing 120dB shriek if tampered.

Image4Security also offers a garage defender which makes just getting into the garage a mission and gives another layer to your security. Proven to be virtually impregnable, even with a grinder attack, this handy gadget stops a thief from opening the garage door to get at your pride and joy.  With two different models to suit either an up and over or roller shutter door, it makes sure your garage stays shut until you open it up again.

However, continuing the layering theme, if you install a Guardsman barrier, you’re really making the thief’s job almost impossible. Suitable for a shed or garage, this patented security device will make your garage or shed a fortress of protection for your motorbike, car, bicycle, mower or boat. Extending a long, robust arm across the entrance that the average car or motorbike can’t fit under, or be lifted over, it also provides secure anchor points to which you can lock your wheels, for added peace of mind.  Add our Guardsman alarm system and you’ll also receive a call to your phone notifying you of any disturbances.

Some other tips for keeping your vehicle safe at home include:

• Marking and Tracking devices – Mark your bike or motorbike with a marking kit and install a tracking device, to help the recovery of your vehicle if the worst were to happen. Our partners at Datatool are the market leaders in both areas.
• Cover up – Block up your garage or shed windows so that snoopers can’t see what you’ve got stored inside. Consider using a cover or large sheet over your bikes and motorbikes.
• Light it up – Get motion sensor lights – thieves hate the light and love the dark, so keep it bright around your shed or garage with lights.
• Monitor it – Install cameras that detect and record motion, some even link to your phone, allowing you to speak to whoever is in the picture and scaring them off.

Police guidelines urge that you should spend 10% of the value of your vehicle on security, and at Image4Security we understand the value of good defence. If you need double layers of protection for your Amazon account, how much more do you need for your new motorbike, car or road bike?

So, as the best method is to have multiple layers of security for your vehicle, head over to Image4Security’s site, or get in touch with one of the team to discuss how to add to your security measures today.