When your car gets stolen, it can pile on the stress, depending on what the thief ended up taking along with your car. What if you left some important documents in there, or some expensive items, your laptop with sensitive/confidential files from work?
But even without these additional headaches, getting your car stolen is a major headache by itself.
So how do you make sure that car thieves never drive away with your car?
These 6 ways should help:
1. Keep your doors locked.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but being preoccupied or being in an almighty rush can make us forget what would otherwise come naturally to us. So it can’t hurt to double-check.
2. Keep your windows closed.
Same deal with your doors. You or someone riding with you may have rolled down a window and forgot to roll it back up. An open window gives a thief easy access to anything of value that you leave in the car, or reach in to open the door.
3. Don’t leave your keys in your car. (Or keep a spare key nearby.)
Take your keys with you when you get out. And while it can be a hassle to get locked out of your car if you end up misplacing your keys, it’s still better not to leave a spare key anywhere near, like in your glove box, under your car, in the tire well, etc. A seasoned thief will know where to look.
4. Choose a well-lit spot to park.
Many bad things can happen in dark parking lots, or in any dark areas of the street. Car theft is one of them.
5. Don’t leave (or keep) valuable items in your car.
Or at least don’t leave them in plain sight. You should take your cell phone and wallet with you when stopping somewhere to run errands. For bigger items that would be impractical to carry around with you, like your laptop, try concealing them beneath a folded jacket or a newspaper or magazine, or hide them under a seat. Or store them in your trunk. Don’t forget chargers and mounts, which would tell thieves looking into your car that the expensive items that go with them may be somewhere inside.
6. Invest in technology.
Technology is your friend and has been instrumental in preventing many car thieves from succeeding despite their resourcefulness and adaptability.
You can’t go wrong with these devices:
An audible alarm system
If your car did not come with an audible alarm system, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends you install one. This alarm is designed to make noise (often it’s your car’s horn) if someone attempts to get in your car, calling unwanted attention to the thief. You have plenty of options when it comes to this device, but to ensure proper installation, let a mechanic or an alarm technician do it.
A tracking system (a.k.a. vehicle recovery system)
Should someone manage to steal your car, this tracking system, using wireless and/or GPS tech, will emit a signal to the police or a monitoring service alerting them to the location of your vehicle.
A vehicle immobilizer system
You’re probably familiar with hotwiring—a popular method of bypassing your ignition to start your car. Can you hotwire-proof your car? Yes, with a vehicle immobilizer system. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) says a vehicle immobilizer system may integrate smart keys, wireless ignition authentication, and kill switches, which will essentially disable your vehicle and render it unstealable. Installation also requires the expertise of a mechanic or technician who is savvy with your car’s wiring and computer systems.
While there is no hundred percent guarantee that thieves will never find a way around safety measures to prevent car theft, technology and your own vigilance, initiative, and foresight can make you less likely to have to deal with a car-sized car theft headache.
While you’re thinking of car theft protection, why not check out theft protection by EverCare, see if it’s a good fit.