How To Protect Your Car From Auto Thieves
- December 13, 2007
- 483 Views
A car is stolen every 20 seconds in the U.S. But with these tricks, yours won’t be one of them!
You Will Need
- A steering wheel lock
- And opaque tape
Step 1: Lock it
Lock it up and take the keys. It may sound obvious, but half of stolen cars are unlocked, and one out of five actually had the keys in them.
Step 2: Hide valuables
Cover up or hide anything in your car that might make it a more tempting target, like expensive sunglasses, a fancy radar detector, or a CD player. Just these small items can make a thief choose your car over someone else’s.
Be extra careful on weekends. Friday and Saturdays are the most common days for car theft.
Step 3: Turn the wheel
Many car thieves steal autos with a tow truck, so doing anything to make it look harder to tow—like turning your steering wheel to the right when you park, so the wheels are harder to move – can make a thief not want to bother with it.
Step 4: Lock the wheel
Research shows that using an inexpensive steering wheel locking device or a steering column collar reduces the chances of your car becoming a target.
Step 5: Hide your VIN
Put opaque tape over your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Most are posted right on the dashboard, where a thief can read the code and use it to request a duplicate key, citing the VIN as proof of ownership.
Most cars that are stolen in the U.S. are 10 years old or older.
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