Car owners at risk of ID theft

New research from Prudential Car Insurance reveals that one-in-ten British car owners are putting themselves at risk of identity theft by forgetting to remove sensitive documents such as bills and statements from the view of opportunistic thieves.

The insurer says car owners need to think twice as they lock up and walk away - 2.7 million unwittingly leaving precious belongings behind with one-in-five leaving as much as £150 in valuables within the potential reach of thieves. And with 1.3 million thefts from vehicles each year, it's urging people to change their security habits.

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A further 12% admit to having more than £350 worth of valuables in full view on either the front or rear seats of the car. Yet, despite the fact that British cars seem to be potential goldmines for thieves, 7% of car owners admit they forget to store expensive personal items in the car boot and 6% admit they sometimes forget to lock their car altogether.

The most likely items to be left on show in the car include: Clothes for the office (17%), sports equipment (13%), letters, bills, statements (10%), work files (10%), mobile phone (10%), iPod / MP3 player (4%) and laptop (2%).

The study also highlights how many car owners have the tendency to treat their car as a second home, with 17% keeping clothes for the office in the car and a further 13% storing sports equipment, such as tennis rackets, gym kit and footballs.

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Gill Murphy of Prudential Car Insurance, comments: "With the average cost of an iPod, work suit and laptop totalling around £900, drivers without adequate insurance who leave these items lying around could face a hefty bill if their car is broken into.

"What is also concerning is the 6% of car owners who actually forget to lock their car at all providing thieves with easy pickings."

15 August 2007 © Moneyextra.com

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