Always Lock Your Vehicle
While it may seem like a no-brainer to keep your car doors locked, many people tend to believe that so long as there are no valuables in their vehicle, it will be less attractive to break into. But if they aren’t after valuables, your car is the target. Leaving the doors unlocked — even for just a few minutes — makes it that much easier and quieter for a thief to get inside and hotwire your vehicle or start the engine with a relay transmitter.
Always be sure to keep your car doors locked, windows closed, and ensure the sunroof is completely closed.
Park in Plain Sight
Many people believe that parking garages are one of the safest places to park their vehicle. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Parking garages are often secluded with security cameras only covering certain angles. This makes it easier for a thief to break into your car in privacy.
When parking in a public garage, try to park close to the attendant or in sight of a security camera. Avoid parking in back alleyways or remote parking lots. Instead, park in well-lit areas in sight of people passing by. This will make it more difficult for someone to steal your vehicle without being noticed.
Have a Spare Key Ready for Emergencies
Car owners used to believe it was safe to hide their spare or main key somewhere on the exterior of their car like a wheelwell or in a roof rack. Many car thieves are aware of this trick, making it essential that car owners know where their keys are at all times. If you aren’t one of those people, your vehicle can still be vulnerable if you leave your keys in your vehicle, garage, or even in your own home.
For example, crooks can take advantage of the emergency release lever or cord and try to pull open your garage door from the outside. If your service door to your garage doesn’t have a deadbolt and strike plate, they could also break in this way, giving them access to any keys you keep in your garage. And although it’s fairly uncommon, criminals can even steal a keyless ignition car by walking around your house and sending an amplified signal to a transmitter that unlocks and starts your car.
To avoid this, invest in securing your garage with high-security door locks and keep your spare keys in an RFID signal blocking bag inside your home.
Store Valuables Out of Sight
No car is more susceptible to being stolen or broken into than a car with valuables in plain sight. Never leave electronic items like phones, laptops or tablets out in the open.
If for some reason you are unable to bring your personal belongings with you while your car is parked, tuck away any items away in the glove compartment or trunk. But be careful when you hide your items; thieves are trained to watch for people hiding valuables after they park.
While leaving valuables in your car may not always lead to your car being stolen, it will greatly increase the chances of it being broken into.
Always Turn off Your Car
Even if you are running a quick errand or want your car to warm up on a cold morning, resist the temptation to leave your car running. While this may be common practice for those leaving pets inside their vehicles for people who live in cold climates in the winter, a running car is a bait for thieves.
And if it gets stolen, you might just be out of luck. In some states like Texas, your insurance is not responsible for a stolen vehicle where your keys were left in the ignition. Always turn your car off and properly lock it when you are not inside.
Use an Anti-Theft Device
One of the best precautions you can take when it comes to your car’s safety is to install an anti-theft device. Even just installing an additional locking device such as a wheel, pedal, hood or steering wheel lock can deter a thief due to the extra work it will take to get around it. These are fairly inexpensive upgrades but will require you to put them on and off each time you use them.
Another anti-theft upgrade you can install is a kill switch, which can be integrated into a variety of ways. A kill switch will prevent the car from turning on by disconnecting the connection to your battery, fuel lines, or ignition switch wire. It’s worth looking into if you want to ensure that your vehicle is harder to steal.
Not only will installing one these devices make stealing your car more difficult, but you may also be eligible for a discount on your car insurance by upgrading your security features.
