Nobody wants to step outside their front door one morning to find an open door or a broken window on their vehicle. And when they peer inside, they quickly see the mess and discover that items have been removed.
The best defense is to show would be thieves that you have nothing for them to steal. Items normally kept in your vehicle should always be hidden away from prying eyes, and ideal theft items including wallets, cell phones, GPS units and lap tops should always be securely locked in a glove compartment, console or in the trunk.
Your vehicle can be attractive to thieves depending on where you park. If you have a garage, develop a habit of parking it inside rather than leaving it outside on the driveway. If your only option is street parking, ensure to park your vehicle under a street light so that its fully visible as thieves prefer to operate in the dark.
If you use public transit and utilize a station lot, park your vehicle close to the entrance where pedestrian traffic is the highest. When parking in multi-level parking lots, park your vehicle on a level with plenty of vehicles.
A few seconds is all it takes for thieves to steal items from an unlocked vehicle. When exiting your vehicle, be certain to always roll up the windows, lock your doors and set the alarm. Never leave your vehicle running and unattended.
Do you keep your keys by the front door? Many people do and this can be a big mistake. Keys should never be hung or stored near the front door as thieves can quickly enter an unlocked door, enter your home and then exit with the keys. Even if they don’t take your keys, thieves have a new method for stealing your vehicle.
If your vehicle has a push-button starting feature and if you leave your key fob by the front door, thieves can now easily steal your vehicle using a new method called “relay theft”. With an inexpensive device, thieves approach homes to see if they can detect a vehicle’s key fob signal. If a signal is found, their device can trick the fob into sending a signal to start the vehicle. They also leave another device near the vehicle which receives a signal and unlocks the doors.
To deter thieves, store your keys as far away from the front door as possible. Better still, place your vehicles keys inside a tin with a lid which can help block the signal.
By taking these precautions, you can deter thieves from breaking in or stealing your vehicle. Once someone has accessed your vehicle, it never feels the same again.
