LONDON: London has always been a hot spot for supercars but, in recent times, it has become known more as a supercar theft hotspot.
Experts at Windrush Car Storage share their experiences about the effect this is having on car owners in the capital right now.
It’s Saturday and the Windrush London team are open for business when the phone rings - a new client wanting to secure their vehicles immediately.
The urgency of the request was brought about by social media posts reporting that a number of Ferrari supercars had been stolen from across London that morning.
As the Windrush team welcomed the new client into their state-of-the-art facility, the phone continued to ring with other worried owners seeking the security of Windrush for their treasured vehicles, as supercars continued to go missing.
Windrush Car Storage London general manager Alastair Main said: “That weekend alone we welcomed over 20 new cars into secure storage following a spate of Italian supercars being stolen in London.
"Social media posts from owners alerting followers to look out for their cars, some offering rewards, prompted a number of people to bring their cars into our care.”
While some of the cars welcomed to Windrush were street parked, a number were parked long-term in central London public car parks.
There are many factors to consider when using a public car park to store a prestigious vehicle, including the fact that free access is granted to cars, providing the ticket is used to exit within a set timeframe – usually 15 minutes.
This allows plenty of time for unlawful visitors to gain unhindered access and, in addition, their open construction also brings problems with vehicle condition.
Tim Earnshaw, Founder of Windrush Car Storage, tells more. “Some of the cars that came to us at short notice were collected from long term parking in public car parks located in the heart of the city. What was shocking was the levels of dust and dirt the cars had accumulated and the fact their battery health was poor. This shows that not only do these car parks have a level of vulnerability, but they also do an inadequate job of caring for the car, despite giving the appearance of being a closed and secure environment.”
And it wasn’t just private clients who sought sanctuary for their vehicles.
Professional chauffeur and hire fleets also contacted Windrush to move their cars away from prying eyes, tempted by their 24/7 opening hours as much as the state-of-the-art security, proving the fact that theft is becoming a problem in the city.
Tim added, “the rise in vehicle theft in London has seen more owners seeking secure storage for their own peace of mind. Thefts in London seemed to start when certain Range Rover models became a target for thieves and, subsequently, we now have a number in our care.
Theft of prestigious cars appears to be at its highest in London right now and films circulate on YouTube showing cars, including a Veyron, being subject to ride-by attacks to obtain the drivers watch.
Meanwhile, Windrush Car Storage's large London facility offers state of the art protection and security, hidden from view in a very central location.
Open 24/7, owners are free to use their cars as often as they wish, enjoying the levels of service more akin to a 5-star hotel than a car storage business.
But they don’t like to shout about it, and you won’t find Windrush regularly posting on social media or arranging open days.
Discretion is everything as a recent FT feature on London’s supercar spotters confirmed that when they stated “Cars are kept in a handful of private garages scattered across the city, most famously Windrush’s secret ‘Bat Cave’ in West London. And good luck getting any intel on that.”
