Sat nav systems thieves

Satellite navigation systems in vechicles are attracting thieves and may lead to an increase in motor insurance premiums.

The police are warning drivers not to leave their GPS navigation systems behind when they are not in their car due to a recent rise in thefts. Over the past 3 months it has been reported that, over £2,000 of satellite navigation equipment has been stolen from various public car parks in the region during daylight hours.

These devices use staellite singles to track the postion of the vehicle and calculate the route to the chosen destination, however not all systems are adequately covered by the owner's car insurance.

It is belived that the navigation systems appeal to thieves because that have a very high sell-on price. The systems easy to steal due to the fact that they are poorly secured in the vehicles. In many cases the systems are not security coded, which allows them to be easily passed on.

Thames Valley Police strongly advise drivers to remove them from parked vehicles or ensure they are firmly secured.