Clever Tricks to Outsmart Car Thieves and Keep Your Car Safe

Car theft is not only a phenomenon that can occur in a public environment where your vehicle is particularly vulnerable and subject to risks but also right outside your front door. This is why it is important to use a clever mix of car security and home safety measures that can deter potential car thieves more efficiently.

Keep in mind that while staying constantly proactive and fully aware of all the hazards and threats around you, it is also essential to implement the best security practices to keep your property protected. Here is a comprehensive list of tricks and tips to outsmart car thieves and keep your vehicle safe.

Lock Up

It might sound like a no-brainer, but many people leave their vehicles unlocked while parked in the driveway or inside the garage. Simply because you are home does not offer you any sort of guarantee that your car is safe. On the contrary, home burglars and car thieves alike could take advantage of this vulnerability while passing by.

Make a habit of constantly locking the car doors and windows whenever you are ready to exit it and stop turning your car into a potential victim in the hands of opportunist neighborhood thieves.

Choose Parking Spaces Carefully

Make sure you only choose secure places with good lighting, preferably in an area with a lot of foot traffic. When at home, use the garage if you own one, and remember to lock both the car and the garage door properly. Do not leave any valuable items like laptops, electronics, or handbags inside the vehicle and in plain sight when parking. Use the car boot instead or opt for a car cover.

Invest in a Quality Steering Wheel Lock

A visible steering wheel lock or an immobilizer will add additional layers of protection while making it harder for car thieves to use specific hotwiring techniques to steal your vehicle. Opt for a model that allows you to lock the steering wheel to the brake pedal as well as lock to the gas or clutch if needed. If you are having trouble using the notches for a precise snug fit that can stop potential thieves from using the pedal until the lock is disengaged, you may want to rely on our expert car locksmith services.

Fit a Car Alarm System or Install a Dashcam

If your car does not already have an alarm system on it, consider installing one. While it will not provide you with any guarantee that a potential car thief will be effectively deterred by the loud and obnoxious sound, a car alarm system’s loud siren and lights in a busy commercial area or a quiet residential block at night might scare off casual thieves. If you own an older car model, protection is better than the almost complete lack of theft deterrents.

You can opt for a simple system you can easily plug into your OBD-II port for hassle-free installation, but you will most likely need to concern yourself with the additional wiring that is necessary. Simple installation procedures rely on wiring harness connectors that are already there or which are features of adapters, with a price tag of between $100 to $200. If you are looking for a state-of-the-art alarm system, installations can run anywhere between $500 and $1,000, usually requiring professional help. A two-way alarm system provides complex sophisticated tracking and security solutions.

Similarly, a home alarm system with exterior surveillance cameras will indicate that your home is monitored, possibly stopping them from trying to break into your parked vehicle in the driveway. A video doorbell combined with smart motion sensors and CCTV cameras controlled via smartphones will bring even more peace of mind.

Dashcams with sensors operate whenever there is motion near your vehicle. They can also be used as an additional layer of security as potential thieves are likely to be wary of being recorded while choosing their next victim.

Install Outdoor Lights

Having proper lighting around your property will turn it into a less appealing option for neighborhood thieves lurking to approach your car. Motion-activated lights and bright lights cleverly placed next to the garage or driveway work equally well.

Keep Your Car Keys in a Safe Location

Rely on a signal-blocking pouch also known as a Faraday bag to safely store the keys to a keyless entry model. These screened bags and similar boxes or tins serving the same purpose will prevent the signal from the key fobs from being “grabbed” form thieves sitting outside your home and using the signal to open the vehicle. These pouches are lines with metallic material that will prevent access to the cat by blocking the fob from transmitting the code to the car.

Finally, if possible, turn off your keyless fob’s wireless signal by following the instructions in the car’s manual, getting in touch with the car manufacturer, or giving our expert car locksmiths a call.

We are here to answer all your questions and concerns and provide practical solutions that can lower the risk of theft on your vehicle.