With car theft on the rise, would you know how to keep your property safe?

Here's some tips on how to protect your vehicle:

• Never leave valuables on display

• Never leave tools in your van unless they are secured in an approved* tool safe

• Fit good quality approved* additional external locks to van doors

• Engrave or mark tools and their boxes with your postcode and house number

• Use an approved steering lock or gear clamp, and remember to set your immobiliser and alarm if you have one.

• If away from home consider parking your vehicle in a ‘Park Mark’ approved car park. www.parkmark.co.uk.

To help prevent your vehicle being stolen:

• Never hand vehicle keys over to a third party or leave the vehicle unattended at a valet parking, car wash or other parking places, where criminals can gain access to the vehicle and code a key electronically.

• Consider fitting an ‘OBD safe’, a secure lockable device that fits over the vehicle’s on board diagnostic (OBD) port, in the vehicle cabin. This prevents criminals using software to code a key from the vehicle.

• Consider fitting a dual band tracking device that works on VHF/UHF and GPS, to make it more difficult for the tracking signal being blocked.

• Criminals can also employ remote/keyless entry jamming equipment so make sure your car is locked by trying the door before leaving it.

• Ensure that ‘home’ on your vehicle sat nav is shown as the post code of your local police station and not your actual home address.

• Use an approved* steering wheel lock and never leave your vehicle unlocked – even for a moment

More advice on how to make your vehicle safe is available at: www.herts.police.uk/protectyourproperty.