A careless attitude to vehicle security is leaving Brits open to theft, according to swiftcover.com.
The
car insurance provider suggests that 96 per cent of Britons regularly leave gadgets in their car, with a third leaving them in plain view on the dashboard or seats.
Over a fifth of respondents to the newly-released study have had their vehicle broken into and valuables stolen, the firm reports.
"We strongly urge drivers to take 30 seconds to check their vehicle and to lock their gadgets in the glove box or boot when parking … This little routine will ensure no gadget is visible," advised Tina Shortle, marketing director of swiftcover.com.
According to Metropolitan Police statistics cited by the firm, the theft of sat-nav devices from cars in London more than doubled in the period between April 2006 and April 2007.
In recent news, insurance provider Sheila's Wheels has also commented that a number of women are encouraging car break-ins by treating their vehicles as wardrobes, keeping a number of clothes and other valuable items on display.
InsureandGo's
car insurance policies aim to provide cover for the contents of vehicles.