Auto parts thieves are doing more damage this year: said fingers are more interested

Loot still in demand

According to Raimondas Bieliauskas, head of the Vehicle Claims Administration Division of the Ergo insurer, auto parts thieves have already brought losses of more than 300 thousand. In the last three years, the total damage suffered by the population as a result of the theft of car parts has been almost 1.2 million euros. euros. Furthermore, according to R. Bieliauskas, the average amount of damage this year is almost 15 percent. more than last year and amounts to more than 1,800 euros.

“Auto parts definitely still appeal to long-fingered people. We have already recorded more than a hundred and a half cases of auto parts theft this year, but in the darkest months of October and November, these numbers are likely to rise even further. In recent years, most hairdressing equipment has been stolen: navigation and multimedia systems, airbags, steering wheels. It is true that the objective is still to take advantage of the most expensive headlights or mirrors in cars, ”says R. Bieliauskas.

According to him, auto parts from BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes Benz are mostly stolen, and owners’ losses often increase not only due to lost parts, but also damage to vehicles. caused by criminals in the course of their dirty work. .

Theft in yards and garages

According to R. Bieliauskas, cars are not protected from long-fingered people in the country’s large cities or smaller towns, and thieves often have only a few moments to commit a crime.

“Thieves often attack cars that are simply parked in parking lots or on the streets. Professional criminals also do not hesitate to break into residents’ garages, we also receive reports of robberies in private yards when cars are parked directly under Residents’ windows are stolen. Often times, the work of thieves is facilitated by car owners themselves, who leave their vehicles in remote, unlit, and inaccessible parking spaces. These cars and their parts really become prey easy for criminals, ”says R. Bieliauskas.

According to the representative of the insurer, although a well-lit parking lot monitored by security cameras does not necessarily guarantee the safety of the car, at least it puts criminals at greater risk and can deter less prepared or inexperienced thieves.

Aimed at Japanese cars

R. Bieliauskas points out that the number of car thefts has decreased slightly in recent years, but its drivers cannot be avoided either. Every year, at least some car thefts are recorded, and Lithuanians lose their vehicles not only in Lithuanian cities and towns, but also abroad. For example, cars of Lithuanian residents were stolen this year in Vilnius, Kaunas, Raseiniai, Latvia, Ukraine and Germany.

“Looking at the trends in the most stolen car models, it can be seen that Japanese cars are becoming increasingly popular with thieves. In recent years, in terms of the number of cars stolen, they are already ahead of the number of cars stolen. German brand cars, which in the past have become the target of most criminals. This is probably due to the fact that new Japanese cars are much more common on the roads of our country today and constitute a increasing proportion of all vehicles, ”says R. Bieliauskas.

According to the expert, most of the cars stolen this year are 2017-2019 models. However, R. Bieliauskas points out that owners of older vehicles cannot feel completely safe either. Last year, for example, a third of all car theft cases repaired by an insurance company involved vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2006.

“Of course, thieves are generally looking for the most valuable loot that can be easily and quickly obtained, so they generally target cars from popular, newer, and higher-end manufacturers. The damage to the population in these cases ranges from several tens and several tens of thousands of euros. It is true that, seizing the opportunity, thieves do not give up on the novelty or average class of cars. The average amount of damage from car theft this year is almost 22 thousand euros. ” , says R. Bieliauskas.

Adequate protection is important

According to the representative of insurers, in order to protect your car from the maximum of fingers as much as possible, it is necessary to take modern safety measures. According to R. Bieliauskas, in many cases an audible alarm is not enough to deter thieves, and the effectiveness of such protection is currently low.

“The most expensive car owners, in particular, must have the highest level of security systems that allow them to remotely track the car’s location, and the alarm can be automatically transmitted to the owner’s remote or phone. Immobilizers also provide additional protection: engine locking systems that prevent the car from starting without the owner’s knowledge. Such protection measures must be implemented to insure all higher-value vehicles with comprehensive insurance, “says R. Bieliauskas.