Top car mechanic Scotty Kilmer has warned motorists can prevent their cars from being taken by thieves by following a simple hack while behind the wheel.
Pressing the handbrake, a tool found in every vehicle on the road, can make it “harder” for criminals to drive off with models.
Scotty stressed that road users should not walk away from a parked vehicle without ensuring the handbrake is “on tight”.
The handbrake is also vital to ensure vehicles are safely secured with cars at risk of rolling forwards or backwards and picking up damage if the tool is not used.
Scotty issued the simple advice on his YouTube channel where he provides daily advice to motorists.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Scotty said: “There’s still a lot of cars stolen by people with flatbed trucks and tow trucks.
“To stop them, always leave your car in park, pull the emergency brake on tight. That makes it much harder for a flatbed or tow truck to pull it out of the way and steal it.”
Some YouTube viewers were keen to praise Scotty after the tip with one even admitting they had not used the switch to secure their car before.
One YouTube viewer said: “You’re so entertaining but informative too. I never thought about putting the emergency brake on. I certainly will.”
However, many claimed that Scotty’s suggestion was unlikely to help if the criminals have powerful enough gear that allows them to to get away with cars regardless of the precautions.
@Ki30 said: “As a previous tow driver I can assure you. Keeping it in park with an e-brake won’t stop the winch from dragging that sucker up.
@kevinavillain4616 commented: “Standard shift in parking brakes don’t even slow up a tow truck or flatbed.
“They simply dragged them away [tyre] sliding on the asphalt until they get far enough off to put assist rollers under the wheels.”
@HabaneroTi added: “A pair of dollies and a tow truck can steal nearly any car in under a minute no matter how fancy your anti-theft system is. Even a manual.”
Motoring experts at Cinch admitted handbrakes were vital tools to prevent crime if used correctly.
They commented: “If you drive a manual car, you can do this by securing the handbrake and also leaving the car in gear when it’s off. If you’re parked on a flat surface or with the nose pointing up a hill, leave the car in first gear.
“If you’re parked on a hill with the nose pointing down, leave the car in reverse. This essentially ‘locks’ the engine and driven wheels, adding to the strength of the handbrake.”
