High design is an expensive...
High design is an expensive commodity ò€“ as Jabraò€™s latest JX20 Pura headset proves. The Bluetooth hands-free kit costs Ò£99.99, and was created by Danish industrial designer Jacob Jensen to offer phone users even more style behind the wheel. An extravagant feel is evident as soon as you open the box ò€“ from the sleek desk stand to the pretentious necklace fitting. While this allows you to wear the Pura as jewellery, we donò€™t expect many will sport it around their neck on a night out.
Six years ago, ministers...
Six years ago, ministers pledged to cut vehicle offences by 30 per cent by 2004. To achieve that, they launched the Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team (VCRAT), in a bid to boost public awareness about security, tighten registration procedures and crack down on thieves.
The good news is it"s worked. But the bad news - according to one insurance expert - is that the police will now concentrate on other matters, leaving car criminals free to wreak havoc again.
Phil Swift, boss of Kent-based Claims Management and Adjusting, told us: "There"s a good chance VCRAT will be disbanded. This, along with the fact that police resources will be allocated elsewhere, could see offences rise again."
The Home Office said VCRAT"s future is uncertain after July 2005. "That"s when the final crime figures for 2004 will be published, and the completion of a target period is a good time to review whether VCRAT should continue," explained a spokeswoman.
She added individual police forces set their own targets and were free to choose how to achieve them. Meanwhile, if your car is stolen, there"s less chance than ever of it being recovered. The latest British Crime Statistics reveal an estimated 60 per cent of the 315,000 vehicles taken in 2001 were returned to their owners.
But 4,000 more cars remained missing in 2002, and Swift reckons recovery rates will fall further. "This is because a larger proportion of models are being taken by professional thieves," he said.