How to prevent your older Land Rover being stolen

Owning a Defender or other Land Rover is obviously a big investment, in terms of both money and time spent on it. Unfortunately, though, Defenders in particular can be attractive targets for thieves, as they can be quickly driven away, sometimes without a trace. The number of Defender thefts shot up a few years ago, increasing by 34% in 2021, and that trend looks to have stayed put as the years have progressed. In order to safeguard your pride and joy, you do therefore need to take a proactive approach to its security. 

In this article, we’ll look at some practical and effective ways to protect your Defender; to help prevent it from being stolen in the first place, and to help you and the police get it back if it does sadly go missing. If you can implement a number of these precautions together, then even better!

1. Install a GPS tracker

A GPS tracker is one of the most effective tools to help you recover your stolen Defender. These devices allow you to monitor its location in real-time, often via an app on your phone. Many modern trackers come with geofencing features, sending you alerts if your Defender moves outside a designated area. There’s a lot out there, but those with Thatcham certification will have passed rigorous testing and are deemed to be of a high standard.

Subscribing to a monitoring service can also help ensure your Defender’s quick recovery in the event of theft - do remember to keep any subscriptions up to date, however.

You could also put an AirTag in your vehicle, but that obviously relies on an iPhone being in the vicinity to update its location. Thieves have cottoned on to the fact that car owners are doing this, so they may search for the existence of an AirTag.

2. Fit lots of locks!

There are lots of locks that you could use, for example a steering lock, a pedal lock (or a clutch claw), a wheel clamp and a gearstick lock. Make sure that they are all decent, heavy-duty ones - it’ll take some time for them to be removed by a thief, without a key, and this is exactly what you want. It’s good to have ‘layers’ of protection, and having multiple locks does exactly that. 

3. Fit an alarm and an immobiliser

If your Defender hasn’t come with either an immobiliser or an alarm, it’s a really good idea to fit them, as this prevents the vehicle from moving even if it’s been hot-wired without a key or fob, and in the case of the alarm, provides a deterrent to any thieves thinking of having a go.

4. Secure your doors and windows

Don’t make it easy for them! Make sure to lock your Defender up properly, and don’t leave the doors open or the windows down. You could also update your locks to a more tamper-resistant option.

Also, don’t leave a spare key lying around in the Defender where it could easily be seen or found.

5. Take some common-sense precautions

This might include always parking your Defender in well-lit areas when out and about, using a CCTV camera at home to monitor your driveway, and avoiding leaving valuables visible inside your Defender. 

Be sure to keep a record of your Defender’s details, including any unique features, and some photos, in case the worst does ever happen.

If you’ve got a model that has keyless entry, it’s important to keep your keys as far away as possible from the outside perimeter of your house, and also put them in a faraday pouch.

Don’t say too much about your location if you are active on any Land Rover discussion forums - thieves might be able to locate whereabouts your vehicle might be, in some instances.

Also, be sure to keep an eye on any security updates that Land Rover may issue that you could also implement as the years go on.

So, there’s a decent amount of options for you to consider when it comes to your Defender’s security. Having a vehicle stolen is a distressing experience, but by implementing as many of these security measures as possible, you can significantly reduce the risk of it happening to you. 

Be mindful also that some insurers might specify their required security measures, but sadly some owners do not comply with these conditions. If their vehicle is then stolen, the claim could be dismissed - don’t let this happen to you.

Let us know of any other security measures that owners could take in the comments!