With most vehicle thefts and burglaries the victim provides the burglar with the opportunity by leaving their vehicle unlocked, running, keys left in the car or their window open. Most property stolen is left in plain view where anyone walking by the car can see it lying there.
Burglaries and vehicle thefts only take a matter of seconds. What we need to do is to make their job more difficult by slowing them down. There are several steps that you can take to make your vehicle less of a target for thieves:
LOCK YOUR CAR DOORS!! Experience has taught us that over 80% of our car burglaries were done on unlocked cars. This is the simplest and most effective way to enhance the prevention process.
Keep your vehicle free from debris and limit what is kept inside of it. Do not leave purses, wallets, G.P.S., MP3 players or iPods, computers, tablets, book-bags, sunglasses, money, or ANYTHING of value, inside your car. If there is nothing of value in plain view, the thief will move onto the next target.
Often, the thief does surveillance by watching you exit the car. Does a female bring her purse with her? Does a male place a laptop in the trunk before walking away? Both these actions send a message to the thief who is watching. The female has her purse, so find another target. The male has left a laptop in the trunk; “I have found a target.” It is always safer to bring the item of value with you.
Be aware of your surroundings and take note of people loitering in the area.
Never leave your keys in the ignition. If your key is in the car, a thief can simply break a window and drive off. Don’t leave your car running, even if you’re just going into the house or a store for a quick errand. A running vehicle may be an easy mark for a thief, especially if it is unattended or unlocked.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends taking your keys with you when you leave your car. Some people keep a spare key under the car or in the glove box, just in case they get locked out — but thieves know where to check for an extra key. While getting locked out of your car is a pain, think about the potential hassle of your car getting stolen.
If it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t. If you see suspicious people or unusual occurrences, call the police right away.
