Bath-auto vandalism
 

A couple of months ago, a poster stated that parked cars in Bath were prime targets for vandalism and to lock overything in the trunk and even mentioned removing items from the glove box and then leaving the glove box open to show there was nothing in it--can anyone provide further comment on this... thanks

Bath is no different than any other tourist area in the UK (or non-tourist area for that matter). Almost every car park (parking lot) has signs advising not to leave any valuables in an unattended car.

I agree, and the advice about leaving the glove box open seems good for any location in the world
Don't leave anything in an unattended car that you can't afford to lose, is my motto, anywhere, especially in car parks belonging to hotels, train stations, Tronchetto in Venice, etc etc. Might as well post a sign saying "tourist's car."

I would check and see if the glove box has a light in it (you wouldn't notice it in the daytime). Overnight probably wouldn't kill a battery but a couple of days might. Regards, Walter

If there's no way around leaving some valuables in the car -- say if you're traveling with your luggage from town to town -- it's also a good idea to get whatever you might need from your trunk before pulling into a car park, so any evildoers lurking nearby don't see you messing about with stuff in your trunk.

It might well have been me who posted the advice.
Leave NOTHING at all on show, not even a magazine (lest thieves think there is something you have hidden beneath it.) Put EVERYTHING in the boot. Better still, leave nothing at all in the car at any time. Parking is difficult in itself - make sure you are not breaking any local traffic law as you will be fined, and possibly clamped. That will then cost you over y100 to be freed. The glove box idea is good too. I have done that in the past, even when parking in a non-tourist area. I have been the victim of car crime once, and since that time have followed the above instructions to the letter.

Why not park in a secure park? Security seems better here in Poland now. A few years ago everyone took their radio out when they left the car. Some hypermarkets have attended and non-attended parking areas. License plates use to be a give-away. Now we have a universal plate throughout Europe.