Car break-ins are always higher in the run-up to Christmas and during the January sales, as people tend to be shopping a lot more than at other points in the year. People often return to their car to drop items off before they head to another store, and when these items are left in plain view it will be hard for a prospective thief to ignore. The lesson? Only leave your car with any goods in it when you absolutely must and always keep those items out of sight in the boot. Remember it only takes a minute or two for your car to be damaged badly while someone steals all your new gear!

Perhaps more worrying, though, is the rise of outright car thefts during the colder months. Police ascribe this to a scheme where thieves will keep watch over a street, waiting for people to go outside to start the car running before going back into the house while it heats up and de-frosts. When the person leaves the car unattended with the keys in the ignition, the thieves simply jump in and drive off. This year there have been one or two high-profile cases involving this type of crime – one was a case where a gang were convicted after stealing dozens of cars this way. Don’t let yourself get caught out!