Imagine a scenario where you purchase a brand-new vehicle from a second-hand car dealer while brimming with excitement at the prospect of acquiring it at an affordable price.
However, after a few days, your enthusiasm turns into dismay as you discover that the vehicle has vanished as it was stolen while you were running errands and decided to park it somewhere you thought was safe.
That's how you lose both your asset and money, a trend which has seen second-hand car owners fall victim to scammers devising new ways to steal cars.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Miller Kyalo, car dealer and expert, revealed that the crime is normally committed by someone familiar with the owner.
This includes either the previous owner of the vehicle, the mechanic or friends who are aware of the vehicle's security system.
He noted that most buyers do not disable their car's security features unconscious of the fact that the previous owners still have access.
According to Kyalo, this enables the previous owner to track your vehicle at all times, and they can use the data to determine your whereabouts to steal the car.
"Today's modern vehicles have smart keys with proximity sensors. You cannot access the car unless you have a programmed key to start the vehicle. This is because the vehicle has a computer box which is able to sense the key," he stated.
He noted that the same incident happens when you take your car to a fraud mechanic or car wash service provider who will have complete access to it, as most owners leave the keys to the attendant for hours.
Prevention
Kyalo advised that second-hand car dealers should analyse the vehicle's history by asking the previous owner about the security features placed in the car before purchasing it.
"After he has provided you with the information, go to a specialist to verify the details and confirm if the previous owner was telling you the truth. Afterwards, you should disable those features and place new ones," he advised.
Further, interested car buyers were advised to purchase from an accredited seller to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous merchants.
Cases of motor vehicles being stolen across various estates have been on the rise, with popular brands and models being targeted as they are easier to get new buyers.
According to the latest data by the Association of Kenya Insurers, Toyota brands are the most stolen vehicles at 74 per cent, followed by Isuzu, Nissan and Mitsubishi vehicles at 5.64 per cent, 4.33 per cent and 3.28 per cent, respectively.
Mazda, Scania, Subaru, Mercedes Benz, Honda, Volkswagen, Suzuki, and Chevrolet are also among the most targeted cars.
Car Security Features
Cars have different security features to prevent cases of theft including alarms, steering wheel locks, GPS tracker as well as an immobiliser.
The alarm alerts the owner if someone tries to break into the car. It is set to automatically sound if the car is moved while it is locked. A steering wheel lock is a device that fits over the steering wheel and makes it difficult to turn.
A Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker tracks the location of the car by using navigation satellites.
An immobiliser is a device that prevents the car from starting without the correct key. The device automatically send a signal to the car's computer, which will only ignite if the signal matches the actual key.
