Any valuable possessions you leave in your car is at risk from being stolen. Never give a thief the reason to break in and steal your belongings - they will take any opportunity you give them.

Apart from car stereos, the most common items stolen from a car are clothes. In addition, CDs and tapes, tools, laptop computers, mobile phones, bags, briefcases, sunglasses and credit cards are all frequently stolen, and the reason these items are taken is usually because they are left in plain view for all to see.

If you don't hide things away in your car, you're tempting a thief to break-in, so never leave anything in view. Although stereos remain the most frequently stolen items, even shopping bags, cigarettes and loose change can encourage a break-in. As you can't hide your stereo out of sight, here are some tips to prevent it getting stolen.

Many modern in-car entertainment systems have security built in, for example removable faces on the stereo itself. If yours has this feature, use it. Remove the face and take it with you, even if your leaving your car for just a short time. Another modern feature is a built-in security code. If the stereo is removed and fitted to another car the code is needed or it won't work. Keep the note of your code number somewhere safe in your house and never anywhere inside your car. Also keep a note of the serial number of the stereo somewhere safe in your home.

With some older stereos you can remove the whole unit. Although it might not always be practical to carry the unit around with you, do so as much as you can, especially when leaving your car overnight or when you're at work during the day. Etch the vehicle identification number and your postcode onto the stereo and mark it invisibly with an ultra-violet pen. See property marking for more information.

Around 150,000 tax disks are taken from cars each year. These can be tampered with and sold on to someone else. You can protect your tax disk with a tamper proof disk holder, available from the Post Office. This could save you the hassle of a broken window or having to buy a replacement disk.

Fit a car security device, such as a car alarm and choose a good place to park to reduce the chances of someone breaking in to your car. And finally, don't forget to close windows, sunroofs and lock doors and NEVER leave children or pets alone in your vehicle.