Did you know that one fifth of all crimes reported to the police in the UK are vehicle crimes?

One fifth. That seems a huge amount.

In fact, car crime is falling in this country and has actually been reduced by 9% in the last few years according to the latest police statistics. The fall has been attributed to motorists finally taking notice of the numerous campaigns that have been implemented to encourage them to be more wary, and most of us now take steps to protect our cars.

But not enough.

The cost of vehicle crime affects all motorists because it drives up premiums and makes cheap car insurance harder to find. Here's a statistic for you- a vehicle in the UK is broken into every 23 seconds.

And nobody wants to be a statistic.

So to keep the thieves away from your car and to keep that cheap motor insurance premium at a reasonable price, there are some steps you can take.

First of all, remember that your vehicle is like a shop window for thieves. If there's anything on view then it could be stolen. And thieves will steal absolutely anything. So keep everything hidden or, better still, take it out of the car completely. It's not just the obvious like wallets, phones and laptops that will get taken, but old coats, CDs and the loose change that you use for parking.

If it's not the bits and pieces inside your car that the thieves are after, it