A crime expert has shared a 'lazy' mistake that makes thieves believe your car is easier to break into.
Dr Kevin Floyd, a former police chief inspector and criminologist at Huddersfield University, has warned that vehicles with unfolded electric wing mirrors could indicate it has been left unlocked - marking it as an 'open invitation' to break in.
The research, which was carried out by the AA and police, saw Dr Floyd interview convicted vehicle thieves in prison to detail how they went about their crimes.
Dr Floyd told The Mirror: "With modern cars nowadays, open wing mirrors equate in the thief's mind with an open door. It's as simple as that. It's a green flag. It's as easy as walking along the street.
"They don't want to try the doors because they are so sensitive they will set off an alarm but if the mirrors are open, then it's confirmation the car is unlocked and no alarm will go off.
"They can then sit there, pretend to be the owner and take as long as they want to have a good look around and either nick things or steal the car. It's an open invitation."
The criminologist added: "The other basic mistake is leaving valuables in the first place because the car owners are lazy.
"It is not just valuables with a financial value but valuables that can be used to commit more theft. For example, people may leave a bunch of house keys and a letter with their address in there."
Jenny Sims, the National Police Chiefs' Council's expert on car crime added: "Locking your vehicle, even when filling up or parked on your drive, greatly reduces the possibility of it being targeted by an opportunist thief.
"Even if you have locked your vehicle, check you haven't left any windows or the sunroof open. Vehicles today are by and large more difficult to steal than ever unless the thief can access your key or fob to clone them."
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