Roadside parking spots are not safe

In a busy city like Kampala where gazetted car parking lots are very few and yet the number of cars on the road is ever increasing, most car owners, with no option resort to parking their cars by the roadside for the rest of the day while they are at work.

However, it is devastating when you get back to your car after a few minutes or at the end of the day and find the side mirror or any other part missing. The best you can do is buy and replace, as it becomes hard to trace the thieves.

CARS VULNERABLE TO VANDALISM

Ezra Turyamuhweza, a mechanic at Owen’s Garage in Wandegeya, explains that Toyota cars like the Premio, Noah, Raum, Spacio, Corolla, Corona, Nadia and Vitz, are vulnerable to being vandalised because of the ease with which some parts such as the side mirrors, wheel caps, centre caps, indicators, brake lights and trademark logos can be removed and sold.

“With other cars such as Mercedes Benzes, Volkswagens, Nissan cars like Skyline, Teana and British made cars like the Range Rover, their parts are hard to remove because they are tightly fitted onto the car body, making it hard for thieves to pluck them off but they are also prone to being vandalised, especially if they are parked in an isolated place for a long time,” Turyamuhweza notes. Jack Mutebi, who owns a Nissan Skyline, says on a number of occasions he has found different people trying to break into his car so he decided to remove the switches on the driver’s door to avoid breaking into his car.

“Ever since I removed the switches, I have never had any other attempts by thieves trying to break into my car. I do not put the windows down. Instead, I use the Air conditioner. At some point in future feel like I want to put the windows down, I’ll put the switches back,” Mutebi says. However, is Mutebi’s solution the best way of keeping away car parts thieves?

HOW TO SAFEGUARD YOUR CAR

Installing an alarm system
Pius Kalyango, a car alarm fitter with T44 shop at Top Plaza Arcade opposite former Kisekka market, says one of the ways a driver can safeguard their car is when they install a car alarm. He says the main types of car alarms on the Ugandan market include Milano Road Rover, Octopus Vehicle Security System, European and Car alarm systems.

He says, “Though there are a number of different car alarms, Milano Road Rover car alarm system is the most recommended because of its sensitivity compared to all the other types. “When you install the Milano Road Rover alarm, its sensitivity is high that the car owner can get to know that someone has touched their car in a distance of 500 metres,” Kalyango notes. Depending on where one buys this type of alarm, he says its cost ranges between Shs300,000 and Shs1m, depending on where you buy it from, and it can be fitted in both saloon and big body cars.

The other better option for car alarms is the Octopus Vehicle Security System. “With this type, someone cannot start the car without opening it using the alarm. Just like the Milano Road Rover car alarm, it will go off and in the process alert the owner of a possible theft when they are in a distance of 500 metres,” Kalyango points out, adding that its cost depends on where you buy it but it normally ranges from Shs150,000 to Shs300,000. He says there are other types of car alarms on the market, “But they are not of good quality because they go off unnecessarily.”

How alarms work
Kalyango explains that when a thief tries to break into or touches a car that is installed with an alarm, the alarm will go off and when this happens, they will have no choice but to walk away from the car. However, for the Milano Road Rover alarm, in case the car alarm goes off, the remote will start vibrating. “ So even when the car owner cannot hear the sound of the alarm, they will still notice that someone has touched their car.

Tightening parts
Additionally, to prevent thieves from stealing parts from your car, Ezra Turyamuhweza, a mechanic at Owen’s Garage in Wandegeya says you can visit a garage so that parts like side mirrors and wheel caps are tightened onto the car using metal clips.

DANGEROUS PARKING SPOTS

Fred Enanga, the Spokesperson of Uganda Police Force, notes that while cars can be vandalised from anywhere, there are spots around Kampala where cars are more susceptible to vandalism than others.

Such spots, include the road that goes down to Kisekka market from Hotel Equatorial (Kyaggwe road). “In this particular spot, thieves target door handles, headlights and side indicators of cars, even those in motion and these are mainly Toyota cars because they take a very short moment to sell them. And when you stroll along main roads in Kampala, you also find that there are missing parts on some cars parked,” Enanga notes.

He adds that there are thieves who have reached an extent of removing car radio systems from the dashboard after breaking into the car and snatching items like phones and necklaces from women, and drivers who drive while windows are down.

Streets with parking slots
• Ben Kiwanuka
• Kampala Road
• Jinja Road
• Burton street
• Market street
• William street
• Wilson Road
• Duster street
• William street

CAUTION

Enanga says police urges and carries out sensitisation among car owners to tighten some features on their cars by applying stoppers on side mirrors so that their cars are not subject to vandalism.
“There are also thieves who specialise in lifting valuables such as laptops and bags left in the car while others look out for money kept under car carpets. All this can be prevented if car owners install modernised alarms in their cars.”

He adds, “It is also advisable to look for a secure parking yard where you should leave your car because these parking yards, though they are few, have security guards to safeguard your car against vandalism, unlike along the roadside.