THE AVERAGE VEHICLE THEFT IN THE LONDON, ENGLAND METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1979 ROSE FROM 8,000 POUNDS IN 1978 TO 12,000 POUNDS. THOSE INTERESTED IN IMPROVING VEHICLE SECURITY SHOULD EXAMINE A VARIETY OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO ASSURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT CHOSEN IS SUITABLE FOR THE VEHICLE AND LOAD TO BE PROTECTED. ATTENTION TO LOCKS CAN RANGE FROM A RELATIVELY SIMPLE MEASURE SUCH AS A STOUTER HASP, STAPLE AND PADLOCK FITTED TO A SLIDING OR A ROLLER DOOR, TO THE USE OF MORTICE DEADLOCKS. ELECTRIC SLAM LOCKS, EFFECTIVE WHEN THE DRIVER HAS A BUSY SCHEDULE, INVOLVE THE DRIVER'S USE OF A KEY TO TRIP OPEN THE SYSTEM; THE DOORS ARE RELOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WHEN CLOSED. BECAUSE THE STEERING LOCK AS AN IMMOBILIZATION DEVICE IS NOT SUFFICIENT PROTECTION, AN ALARM SYSTEM WHICH ALSO CUTS THE IGNITION CIRCUIT IS NEEDED. RECENT SECURITY ALARM SYSTEMS FREQUENTLY INTEGRATE A NUMBER OF SENSING ELEMENTS PLACED WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THESE SENSORS ARE SET SO THEY WILL ONLY RESPOND TO THOSE SOUND FREQUENCIES, SUCH AS A THIEF'S FORCEABLE ENTRY, WHICH ARE NORMALLY ONLY GENERATED IF A THEFT IS BEING ATTEMPTED. MORE TRADITIONAL ALARM SYSTEMS ARE ACTIVATED BY SWITCHES IN THE DOORS. SO THAT AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON THE VEHICLE BATTERY, WHICH CAN BE INCAPACITATED BY THE THIEF, SPECIAL LONG-LIFE BATTERIES WITH AUTOMATIC CHARGING FACILITIES CAN BE INCORPORATED IN THE SECURITY SYSTEM TO BECOME OPERATIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS NOT WORKING. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)