You might think that car jackings are restricted to incidents at traffic lights or in petrol stations, but they're not. It's easy for a car thief to browse the small ads and select what car he wants to steal - before coming to your house to steal it.

Depending on how determined the thief is, there may be very little you can do to stop him taking your car. If there's any chance of things getting violent, you're better off surrendering the keys then contacting the police immediately in the hope they can intercept the car as it's being driven away.

The best way of trying to combat the car jacker is to specify where the meeting takes place for the viewing. Don't go to somewhere unfamiliar that's been specified by the buyer - you could end up being trapped. Wherever you choose to meet, make sure you're not the only person there. The best option is usually your home with a few others present - although once the thief knows where you live he could always return at a later date to steal the keys.
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