How to Avoid Having Your Car Stolen

If your car lacks an anti-theft system, consider installing one. Thieves are hesitant to steal cars if they know they will be easily recovered.

How to Avoid Having Your Car Stolen

Make It Difficult For Car Thieves

Are you looking for a way to make your car less tempting to car thieves? The more appealing your vehicle is to a car burglar, the faster it may be stolen. 

According to the auto insurance specialists at GEICO, whatever you can do to slow down professional car thieves or joyriders will make your vehicle a less enticing target.

What Can You Do?

Here are some suggestions from GEICO to assist drivers in protecting their vehicles:

1. Even while driving, keep your car locked at all times.
2. When you park your automobile, never leave your keys in it. Close all the windows, including the sunroof.
3. Never leave your automobile unattended while it is running.
4. Leave valuables inside your vehicle where they can be seen by passers-by.
5. Do not leave the title of your vehicle in the vehicle. Too frequently, a car thief is apprehended and eludes the cops because he or she cannot present the vehicle registration. (If the vehicle is used by several drivers, the ideal solution is to hide the registration in a hidden position in the car that only the owners know about.)
6. Make sure you know where you're heading. Even if the alternative route is longer, avoid known high-crime zones.
7. If your car lacks an anti-theft system, consider installing one. Thieves are hesitant to steal cars if they know they will be easily recovered. Many insurance companies provide discounts for the systems described below.
8. Thieves like to operate in complete darkness. Pay special attention to where you park your automobile at night. If at all feasible, park it in a well-lit place.
9. Take a look around. Keep an eye on your surroundings, especially in parking lots, garages, and petrol stations.
10. Make a window etching of your car's vehicle identifying number (VIN). Car thieves are looking for a quick buck. They don't want to spend the money to replace all the windows.
11. Leave your automobile in the park or gear on an incline, with the wheels turned toward the curb or another object. This makes it more difficult for criminals to tow your car.
12. If you're accosted by a carjacker, don't fight back. You can't replace a car; you can't replace yourself.

Anti-Theft System Types

• A steering wheel locking mechanism might be a highly evident indicator that you've taken precautions to secure your car.

• Ignition cut-off systems prohibit a vehicle from starting.

• When the key is withdrawn from the ignition, certain modern automobiles include passive alarms that go off automatically.

• One system sends out a signal that the cops can track.

With Whom You're Dealing

Thieves who work as professionals

• The bulk of car thefts are committed by professionals.

• They favor high-performance vehicles as well as less exotic, more common ones with replaceable parts.

• The automobiles they steal are frequently turned over to "chop shops," who deconstruct them and sell the parts.

• They also steal cars to export to other countries, frequently "stealing to order" to meet specific vehicle requests.

Joy-Riders

High-performance or luxury vehicles are preferred by joyriders. These automobiles are routinely retrieved, but they are frequently severely damaged.

"Bump-and-Rob"

When you get out of your car to check for damage, carjackers may hit it from behind and take it. If you're stopped at a traffic signal, give yourself enough distance to move around the car ahead of you if necessary.

If another automobile hits yours, and you feel intimidated, drive to a busy location or contact the police for help if you have a cell phone.