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Scottish car insurance customers warned about gym crime ring

21/05/07

Scotsmen who exercise regularly are being warned to remain on their guard after it emerged that car thieves are increasingly targeting gym-goers.

According to a report in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper, thieves are known to be following drivers of high-end motors on the way to the local gym for a workout session, car insurance customers may be alarmed to know.

Once there, the criminals work in pairs - one half distracts the receptionist while the other half sneaks off to watch the unsuspecting car owner get changed and put his car keys and other belongings into a locker.

Then, when the owner disappears, the thief breaks into the locker and extracts the car keys before meeting up with his associate outside to drive away the luxury vehicle.

And it is believed that at least a dozen motors have been stolen using this method across Scotland over the past few months - with the latest incidents reported in central Scotland and Strathclyde.

Commenting on the scale of the problem, car insurance customers may be interested to know that an unnamed police source said: "We are noticing this method being used more and more."

And the source also advised gym-visiting car insurance customers "to be on the lookout for anyone following them when they are in their cars or walking into the premises".

Earlier this month, Glaswegian car insurance customers were advised to think twice before leaving their satellite navigation systems unattended.

According to the Glasgow Evening Times, police officers have recorded 25 separate thefts of the direction-finding devices in the Maryhill region of Glasgow since the turn of the year.