KEY POINTS:
A backpack full of sweaty gear and running shoes may not seem like a highly sought after item but according to insurance officials gym bags are becoming a "hot" item for thieves breaking into cars.
AA Insurance says the theft of gym bags from parked cars is one of two new emerging trends - partly due to the ease in which they can be carried away but also due to the items people keep with their workout gear. This often includes expensive sports shoes and iPods.
Chief executive Chris Curtin said thieves will always go for the "easiest, fastest option" when breaking into cars and latest claim statistics show stealing gym bags is one of two new trends seen by the company.
The other is the theft of navigation systems and radar detectors which are worth hundreds of dollars and therefore have good resale value for thieves.
While most motorists lock their cars, the latest AA Insurance Driver's Index found that a third of all motorists regularly leave valuables such as jewellery in their cars. The survey, which questioned more than 2500 drivers from throughout the country, found 18 per cent had their cars broken into.
Asked about where their car was last broken into, 31 per cent said it happened in a public carpark, while 26 per cent said it happened on the street they lived in or the street adjacent to their home.
A further 20 per cent said their car was broken into while parked in the garage, driveway or carpark.
According to claim statistics, Aucklanders were twice as likely to make a claim for items stolen from their car than people in the rest of the country.
Within Auckland, the inner city and central suburbs had the highest rate of claims.
People in Taranaki and the South Island were five times less likely to make claims than Aucklanders.
Motorists are encouraged to make it more difficult for thieves by always locking their cars, using security features such as alarms and steering wheel locks and removing all valuables - from stereo faceplates to gym bags - from view.
Other tips include parking under street lights at night and as close as possible to security guards or surveillance cameras in public carparks.
AUCKLAND RISKIEST PLACE TO PARK
* 84 per cent of motorists always lock their car.
* One third regularly leave valuables visible in the car.
* 18 per cent have had their car broken into.
* The average cost of a claim for items stolen from a car is $1400, with the most common thefts being sports equipment, jewellery, computer, electronics (iPods, radar detectors, GPS systems etc), musical instruments and bicycles.
* One third of cars are broken into in public carparks, while 20 per cent were from the garage, carport or driveway.
* Aucklanders are twice as likely to make claims for items stolen from cars than the rest of the country.
TOP 10 AREAS FOR INSURANCE CLAIMS FOR THEFT FROM A CAR
1. Auckland central suburbs
2. Auckland inner city
3. East Auckland
4. South East Auckland
5. West Auckland
6. Penrose
7. South Auckland
8. Albany
9. Rotorua
10. North Shore
Source: AA Insurance Driver's Index
