Defender security
21 ways you can (literally) lock down your Defender to prevent thieves from stealing it
We reveal 21 ways for you to stop villains stealing your pride and joy
1 Call LRD Security
Land Rover Defender (LRD) Security is an online one-stop shop for anyone looking to beef up the security of their beloved Land Rovers, including Defenders of course. You’ll find a list of security options for each model type on their comprehensive website.
We asked LRD owner Will French what are the first things to consider when securing your Land Rover? “Focus first on things that are visible to the would-be thieves, such as a steering wheel lock,” he said. “Then on the things that they cannot see, such as a kill switch or tracker. Think out of the box. Thieves purchase jammers off ebay which they run off your Land Rover’s cigarette lighter, so why not put in a cigarette lighter socket switch?”
Will also gave us another ‘out of the box’ tip. Leave a baby monitor inside your Defender at night, then when thieves do enter your precious Landy, the noise will wake you via the monitor. landroverdefendersecurity.com
2 Disklok
The Disklok steering wheel lock device (from £119) was launched in 1993 and today it is one of the most decorated items of automotive security in the UK. In 2005 they ran out of space on their website to list the numerous awards won over the years!
It’s a quick and easy way to lock your steering wheel. Don’t worry if you have fitted a smaller aftermarket steering wheel as the Disklok is available in small, medium and large. disklokuk.co.uk
3 Defender Defender
The Defender Defender is more than just a tracker, it’s an all-encompassing security system that tries to stop the thieves before they take off with your Land Rover. This £195 device (excluding monthly subs) can detect internal vibration, battery disconnection, keyless ignition and vehicle movement. Any of these will lead to the owner receiving an immediate SMS or phone call. The system was developed by Russ Knight in conjunction with the military, after he too became a victim of crime. They suggested he develop something similar to the devices they were using at the time and that is exactly what Russ did. “Our Defender Defender has 65 different alerts and soon we will be adding an emergency alert too,” he said. “Last year the NFU paid out 3.8 million for stolen Land Rovers, they are the most stolen vehicle per capita in the UK, this makes a quality tracker a must-have.” defenderdefender.co.uk
4 Security cameras
I have more than one security camera where I live; one of them sends out an SMS if it detects any sort of movement on the driveway, be that a stray cat or lost fox. It won’t 100% guarantee thieves won’t have a go at your Defender but I’m a firm believer in layers of visible and invisible security. screwfix.com
5 Ardcase Pedal Lock
I’ve had one of these in my Land Rover for a few years now. It is not the lightest but boy does it do the job. I can fit this in the dark with my eyes closed. When doing this I use my fingers to locate the keyhole to lock it and boom I have another layer of visible security.
A few weeks ago mine was a bit squeaky but some WD40 quickly quietened down those hinges. Make sure you purchase the correct one for your pedal set-up! I suggest spending the extra £60 for the pedal lock safe so you can secure it when not in use.
Don’t forget to put the Ardcase sticker on your window so the thieves don’t have to first smash your window to find out that you have one. landroverdefendersecurity.com
6 Column Lock We’ve all seen in the movies where they start stolen cars using a screw driver. This is normally done after breaking the column steering lock and removing the lock barrel, very common with Land Rovers. Prevent this happening by installing this X-column lock protector. What I like about this is after I fitted one I did not have to do anything else, it just does what it says on the tin. Britpart stockists
7 Door hinge guards
Each Defender door hinge guard consists of two Cad-engineered stainless steel plates that fit inside each hinge point. This means no outward movement of the door once you remove the bulkhead bolts. Quick to fit and unobtrusive. Mind the little one’s fingers though! Britpart stockists