This article will provide you with tips on how to prevent your car from being stolen in Uganda. According to the 2020 police report on motor vehicle theft, 700 vehicles are stolen in Kampala every year.
- Install a GPS tracker for Car
- Always park your car protectively
- Endeavour to install an Immobilize
- Install an audible car alarm system
- Keep your doors locked all the time
- Put anti-theft security devices in your vehicle
- Park in secure places
- Park near the entrances of shopping malls and big stores
- Avoid unsafe washing bays and garages
- Get a steering lock system
- Don’t leave your car unattended, especially if you park on the roadside
- Be mean with your car keys
- Avoid passing in high-crime areas
- Avoid driving at night, especially in the late hours.
- Have your vehicle’s number marked all over your car
Several precautions can be taken to prevent your car from being stolen in Uganda. According to the 2020 police report on motor vehicle theft in Kampala, 700 vehicles are stolen each year, which is two vehicles every day.
Car theft is still a big challenge in Uganda despite the installation of street CCTV cameras. Below are the things you can do to prevent your car from being stolen in Uganda.
Install a GPS tracker for Car
This is the first thing you should think about when you acquire a car in Uganda. A GPS tracking device helps you to monitor your vehicle’s location at any time. The tracker is installed in the car and connected to your mobile phone such that you can see its location at any time.
With the modern GPS tracker, you have the option to stop the car while it’s moving in the direction you don’t expect it to be. This tracker is connected to your mobile and easily controlled and monitored using this app.
In Uganda, GPS trackers go for a maximum of only UGX 400,000/= only. Therefore make it a point to install one to prevent your car from being stolen.
Always park your car protectively
Make yourself used to direct parking. STOP reverse parking. Park the car directly the way you are entering the parking area.
When you reverse park, you give the car thief ease to enter your car and drive away so fast because it’s parked in a very easy way to leave the premises where you have parked.
Remember, these car thieves want to use the shortest time possible and when you park directly, it will be an inconvenience to them because they will think that you can find them any time while reversing.
Endeavour to install an Immobilize
This is an electronic security gadget that only starts the engine of the car when the correct key is present. If you do not have one, make sure you install it because it makes it harder for your vehicle to be stolen.
This also prevents thieves from bypassing the ignition system to start your car. This means that even if someone steals your car and makes a duplicate copy, it will not start the car.
Install an audible car alarm system
You are advised to install an audible alarm system in your car if it does not come with one. This sometimes is connected to the horn and when someone tries to enter or tamper with your while your alarm is on, it will make a noise and the thief will immediately run away.
In Uganda car alarm systems cost around UGX 300,000/- only and therefore installing one will help you protect your car from being stolen.
Keep your doors locked all the time
Make it a habit to keep your car doors locked all the time. When you enter your vehicle, the first thing to do is to get lock your doors right away.
You can also put automatic lock systems which can lock your car right away as soon as you enter the car. Make sure that you don’t start driving when your car doors are open.
When you leave your door locks open, thieves can forcefully enter your car and drag you out then move away with your vehicle.
Put anti-theft security devices in your vehicle
These days there are many devices you can install in your car to protect it from being stolen. These devices cut off the fuel supply to the engine and are put in hidden places in the car like under the chairs or the glove box.
These are only known by the car owners and may be the technician who installed them in the car. Make sure that when you give your car to someone, you don’t show them your security features because in case they duplicate your key they won’t be able to run away with your car at any one moment.
Park in secure places
Parking your car in only secure places will help you prevent your car from being stolen in Uganda. Your vehicle is your asset, don’t leave it anywhere.
Try to see that there is a security guard where you leave your vehicle and talk to him and leave him with something small then tell him to watch over your vehicle. Additionally park in gazetted parking spaces where there is guaranteed security.
Park near the entrances of shopping malls and big stores
This is because at every entrance there are CCTV cameras installed mostly for the security of the shop or mall.
So you take this advantage and park in those slots and just in case you find your vehicle missing you can easily follow up with the security of that particular mall.
Avoid unsafe washing bays and garages
Get time for your car and keep it around when they are washing it or when they are fixing it in a garage.
When you leave these fellows with your car for a long time, they think about means of passing your security and also duplicating your car keys.
Get a steering lock system
This is a visible anti-theft device that stops the steering wheel of a car. This lock triggers when someone moves the wheel when there is no key ignition. This makes it difficult to steal the vehicle.
Don’t leave your car unattended, especially if you park on the roadside
Normally breaking into a car and stealing it takes some time. What the thieves do, is when you park, one person follows you while the other thief stays in your vehicle trying to break through and they keep communicating.
Therefore when you come back so fast, you stop the thieves from having that much time of breaking into your car.
Be mean with your car keys
Don’t give your car keys to anyone anyhow. Avoid all circumstances which may lead you to give your keys to anyone. Avoid congested night car parking where you leave your keys behind, and avoid giving your car keys to friends you don’t trust so much.
Car keys can easily be duplicated and once someone gets a copy of the keys, he can easily follow you and wait for that one moment you relax and take off with your car.
Avoid passing in high-crime areas
If you are warned about some places, please avoid them to keep the safety of you and your vehicle. Even if they are the shortest routes to your destination, better reach late but very safely.
Avoid driving at night, especially in the late hours.
Thieves always want to operate in the dark. In Uganda, there are very few roads which have street lights therefore it’s risky to move at night at any one moment.
This means that driving early hours helps to prevent yours from being stolen in Uganda.
Have your vehicle’s number marked all over your car
That is to say on the windscreen, all mirrors, window and door glass and some parts of the car body.
Car thieves want to go cheap. They don’t want to go into the expense of replacing car glasses and mirrors and also spraying.
What do you do if you find your car has been stolen in Uganda?
When you find your car is missing from the place where you left it, these are the things you do first
- Contact the police immediately with this information: Vehicle make, colour, number plate, VIN
- If your car is insured, please contact your insurance company within at least 24 hours
Auto theft in Uganda is very common, therefore it is very important to take the above precautions into consideration because they will help you prevent your car from being stolen in Uganda.
Editor’s note to readers: if you are attacked by a hijacker, don’t resist. Cars can be replaced.
