Residential streets are no longer safe for car parking, according to the AA.
It notes that as street crime increases, a growing number of people have either had their car vandalised while it was parked on a residential street or know someone who has.
According to statistics released by the association, 43 per cent of car-owners said they had either been victim to such vandalism or knew of people whose vehicles had been targeted.
Furthermore, nearly three-quarters of respondents said that they had their car damaged by people keying, kicking or smashing their car at some time.
Mark Huggins, head of AA personal loans, said: "A car is a serious financial investment and finding it vandalised is frustrating, heartbreaking and of course expensive."
Online resource Safer Motoring suggests that people parking in urban areas should look to place their vehicle in the most well-lit area to reduce the risk of break-ins.
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