It has come to our attention that an increasing number of vehicles being parked in the Valley are being subject to attempted break-ins. WHY? Not to steal the car itself as the cars in question are of little value on the market. On the occasions we are aware of nothing visible was left in the car. Perhaps they were hoping to steal the car for a joy ride, find something under the seat or maybe just for fun! WHO KNOWS?

What we can tell you about is the severe financial loss to those affected. When we report the damage to our insurance company the assessors see the car and immediately write it off as beyond economical repair. Why? Because the locks have been damaged by screw drivers, being central locking means a completely new lock set, when they fail to open the door they then use the same tool in an attempt to rip the window away from the bodywork to gain entry or open the locks. Subsequently the insurance company need to look at a new door and central locking system costing well over £1000. and say NO!

To sum up, an attempted break in to a car results in over £1000 of damage. The loss does not stop there either. The insurance company has nobody else to blame, so who looses? the owner yet again. Their years of no-claim discount lost resulting in an increase in the insurance premium.

And it doesn't stop there either. As we all know, the insurance company rarely give the ful value of the car to enable you to purchase another and they take ages to pay, and you always have to pay excess. So say they offer you £1000 and you have a £250 excess, you have lost again.  You have then got to find another car (without one to search in) for £750. and with no guarantee that when the MOT day comes you will not be in for a hell of a shock.

Have you had this happen to you recently? If so please give us feed-back so that we can pass it on to our local Community Support Office who may then be able to focus on this problem.