MAJOR firms, manufacturers and the police have issued advice for companies to minimise thefts of satellite navigation units, following a story about a rise in ‘smash and grab’ crime on FNN.

The current epidemic of satellite navigation thefts has seen a 17% surge in smash and grab incidents (Fleet NewsNet, June 29) and groups are warning fleets not to leave ‘visible signs’ of units.

Fleet management group Masterlease advises drivers to not only hide units out of sight but also wipe away signs of the sucker mark on the inside of the windscreen. Gavin Jones, head of risk management at Masterlease, said: ‘We have heard of incidents where thieves have targeted cars because of the sucker marks.

‘Carry a cloth and some cleaner because if an opportunist suspects you’ve got a unit hidden away, you are a legitimate target.’

Company car drivers are being targeted the most, according to Shaun Morley, chief inspector at South Yorkshire Police.

He said: ‘It’s mainly business drivers who are the targets so we are targeting local businesses to get the message across about removing visible signs.’

Ford’s UK dealers, in conjunction with Retainagroup, are offering a DIY registration system which identifies units with a security code.