Sat Nabbed
Sat Nabbed is West Mercia's campaign to cut down on the numbers of thefts of satellite navigation equipment across the region.
With the number of people buying sat navs growing ever higher, the temptation for opportunist thieves is proving too hard to resist. You wouldn't normally leave £300 sitting on your dashboard when you park your car would you? But that's exactly what you're doing if you leave your sat nav on display. Car thieves like to window shop as well and if you give them a chance they will take it.
The aim of the Sat Nabbed campaign is to ensure that the only people who get lost are the criminals.
The good news is that overall the numbers of thefts from vehicles in West Mercia is down by 32% over the last six years (2003/04 figures compared to 2008/09) but there is always more that can be done.
Sat Nabbed highlights the simple steps every motorist can take to keep their sat navs safe:
- 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 matching 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
West Mercia Police 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. Download the leaflet and poster below.
You can find more information vehicle security in our Advice Centre.