If you are in the habit of parking your car outside your house, you might want to consider putting a stop to this as car battery thieves are currently on the prowl in certain neighbourhoods in Lagos.
At the moment, Oshodi sits on top of the list of neighbourhoods that have been invaded by car battery thieves. According to reports, more than 15 car batteries have been removed from cars parked outside several homes within different streets in Oshodi in Lagos. The fact that all the incidents were reported in less than one month constitutes a cause for concern.
In the process of stealing the car battery, the thieves usually end up vandalising the cars involved. On December 11, the car battery thieves invaded Osho Street situated in the Orile-Oshodi axis of Lagos State where they carted away batteries from cars that were parked outside the homes of the owners.
A resident of Oshodi who identified himself as Oko Baba Mama said he had assumed the reports were nothing but stories until he became a victim. He narrated how he had woken up quite early that morning and was keen to beat the typical Lagos traffic by leaving home in good time. By the time, he was dressed, he stepped out of his apartment and proceeded to get into his car but realised the car appeared vandalised.
Upon closer inspection, Oko Baba Mama discovered the battery in his Mercedes-Benz had been stolen. As expected, he was alarmed and wasted no time in raising an alarm. He was, however, shocked into silence when he heard the cries of a bus owner who was yelling after he found out his car had been vandalised. As you might have guessed, his car battery had also been stolen.
According to residents of Oshodi, the incidence of stolen car batteries is becoming a frequent occurrence within the neighbourhood. A source who craved anonymity revealed that in November 2018, a minimum of 11 cars that were parked outside the house were all vandalised and had their batteries stolen.
Another resident who expressed her preference for anonymity shared details of how she spotted some boys jumping over a fence way past midnight. She affirmed that she had no doubt in her mind that these were the same boys responsible for the car battery thefts. She went on to lament the absence of efficient security in the area.
“We live every passing day in fear. We don’t know what will happen next. They are repeatedly stealing car batteries today. Who knows if their next target will be our homes. We do not have sufficient security here,” she lamented.
Still on the issue of car battery thieves, a middle-aged man who lives in Oshodi but pleaded anonymity pinned the crime on the bad eggs within the Ladipo spare-parts market. “Our prime suspects are those boys who work at the Ladipo spare-parts market. We should all remember that these boys are experts when it comes to cars and car parts. They know how to remove a car battery and they know where to sell these batteries. A regular thief might not be able to carry out such an operation without being spotted or risking getting caught in the act.
At the moment, residents of Oshodi have raised an alarm and have implored security operatives to come to their rescue.
What Should You Do?
To cut down the risk of having your car battery stolen, the first thing you need to do is to stop parking your car outside your house especially if you live within Oshodi or its environs.
What If You Don’t Live in Oshodi
If you don’t live in Oshodi, you might not need to panic over parking your car outside your house. However, the fact that Oshodi is currently hot on the radar does not mean this cannot happen in other neighbourhoods.
You need to ask yourself some vital questions. For instance, when was the last time you heard about a car battery getting stolen in your neighbourhood? If this is something that happens from time to time, we implore you to take safety precautions.
How Can You Protect Your Car Battery From Theft?
There are certain safety precautions you can take if you live in a neighbourhood where car battery theft is rampant. Below are ways you can protect your car battery from getting stolen:
- If you have to park your car outside, get an old battery from your mechanic and leave it in the car after it is park while you take out your functional battery
- Get a lock or lock box to lock your battery in. You can ask your mechanic to work this into your car for you
- Wire the hood of your car into your car’s alarm system. This should be done in such a way that the alarm goes off if the hood of your car is tampered with
Final Thoughts on Car Battery Thieves
Avoid parking your car outside your house especially if you have sufficient space to park the car inside your house. In a situation where you have to park the car outside the house, don’t take things for granted. Protect your car and your battery from thieves vandalising your car and stealing from you. Have you ever had your car battery stolen?