Beware of “mine parking” at airports during summer vacation! 4 things to check” to protect yourself from theft

During the Bon vacation period, many people will probably use parking lots near airports. Especially at Narita Airport, where there are many international travelers, there are nearly 100 parking lots around the airport, but some of them are “mine parking lots” that are managed in a negligent manner. Is there anything we can do to prevent our cars from being damaged? Kumiko Kato, an automotive journalist, looks into the latest situation at airport parking lots.

In June this year, a total of 20 passenger cars were stolen from two private parking lots near Narita Airport, 11 on the 10th and 9 on the 26th.

Many of you may be familiar with the Super Parking (a parking lot exclusively for airport delivery) that was damaged on the 26th, as it has been reported in many media outlets. As a result of the persistent search by more than 20 staff members, all 9 stolen cars were found within 72 hours. On the other hand, Parking Lot X, from which 11 cars were stolen on the 10th, has not released any details and has completely denied any damage in response to multiple media interviews. When we checked with the Narita Police Department, their response was that they could not provide a detailed explanation because they could not obtain the cooperation of the victim (Company X). Mr. A’s car, which is said to have been damaged, was later found by chance in Gunma Prefecture, and restoration work is currently underway.

The official websites of the private parking companies at Narita Airport state that they are “completely controlled by security cameras” and “have perfect anti-theft measures!　We will protect your car.” “If something happens, our security company will be there immediately! Security company will be there immediately if anything happens to your car! However, in many cases, those statements cannot all be true.

Mr. A, whose car was stolen from Company X on June 10 and who is now making accusations about the actual situation through Google Maps reviews and other means, also told the interviewer the following: “I was told that the parking lot where you leave your keys is a sloppy place to park.

It was the first time for me to use a parking lot where I had to leave my key, but I was reassured that the parking lot had good security measures, and when I left my car with the key, it was stolen. I was told that the key was left in the lock.

Of course, there are many parking facilities that have a strong security system in place to deal with theft, and some, like the aforementioned Super Parking, are so sincere that they will do everything in their power to find the stolen customer’s car. On the other hand, some car parks have long practiced the unbelievable storage method of leaving the keys in the car and parking it in a large, dark, unlit parking lot. Others may have been victims of such practices, with scratches that were caused during the storage period not being addressed, or the inside of the car being covered in mud. The following are some measures to protect yourself from such “mine parking”.

There are nearly 100 parking lots for travelers in the vicinity of Narita Airport. There are many different types of parking lots, but how do you know if you are in a “mine parking lot” or not? Here are some tips for your next visit.

1. Always “confirm by phone” even when making reservations online.

It goes without saying that you should be wary of any store that uses poor language or has a bad attitude. It is no exaggeration to say that the attitude of the customer is directly related to how the car is treated when it is in storage. Many people make reservations online because the prices are relatively low, but we recommend that you always make an inquiry by phone before using the service.

2. Be sure to check word of mouth.

You never know what kind of staff you will find until you get there. That is why it is important to check word of mouth. In particular, you should gather information paying attention to two points: “the attitude of the staff” and “the extent to which they voluntarily provide services that are not included in the price, such as the way they handle customers’ luggage and vehicles.

3. Check the vehicle storage area.

Most of the parking lots in Narita move vehicles to a fairly distant location after receiving them from customers. It is not unusual for the round trip distance to exceed 10 km. Try to confirm at least two things over the phone: “How far away will the vehicle be stored and how will it be kept?” and “Are there security cameras? If the company answers ambiguously, does not answer in the first place, or becomes angry, which is not likely, the possibility of a “land mine” is extremely high.

Keep a record of the condition of your car.

During the busy season, there are more parking lots that do not check for scratches. Even if a scratch is clearly scratched by a parking lot staff member, there are cases where the staff member will say, “We don’t know about it,” or “It’s none of our business,” and run away. To protect yourself, before leaving your car in the parking lot, take a picture of the area around the body of your car. It is best to wash the car before dropping it off so that the condition of the car can be accurately recorded.

I believe that the above precautions apply not only to the parking lot at Narita Airport, but also to other places. At the very least, we should try to protect ourselves so that our enjoyable summer trip will not become a disappointing memory. Please be careful not to hit a “mine parking lot.