Protect Your Car from Theft

Did you know that older cars are more attractive a target to thieves than newer model cars? It might seem counterintuitive to most of us because we think that most criminals would rather steal a newer vehicle rather than an older one. The reason why older cars are more of a target for car thieves is simply that they are easier targets. All the newer car models that have been manufactured in recent years come with quality security systems preinstalled on them which make them a lot more difficult to break into than older model cars. 

Criminals always look for easy marks, which, in the case of car burglars means cars that they can break into very quickly without getting caught. In order to keep your car safe, it’s important to do whatever you can to make the process of breaking into your car more difficult for thieves to do. There are many ways to go about making your car less appealing a target for thieves.

You can always choose to have a locksmith near you install a security device or an electronic locking system in your car for you. The following are some tips that can help you protect your vehicle and prevent it from getting stolen:

• Lock your car up whenever you’re not in it, this includes when you hop out of the car for a short amount of time. It doesn’t take long for an experienced car thief to drive off with your car when you pop into the dry cleaners to pick up your clothes.
   
• Close your windows all the way. It might be tempting to leave your windows open a small crack, especially in the heat of the summer when your car can reach temperatures of over 100 degrees. Thieves only need a very small opening to enable them to unlock your door and hotwire your car.
   
• Refrain from leaving bags, backpacks, and other valuable items lying out in your car. It is very easy to break through a car window and grab a valuable item, prevent it from happening to you by not leaving your bags in the car, or at the very least store them out of sight and in the trunk of your vehicle.
   
• When you can, make a point of parking your car indoors. If you have a garage, use it to park your car in and you will help make your vehicle less of a target to passerby.
   
• When you are away from home and you need to park your car, you should only park it in well-lit parking lots and on busier streets. The more people that are around to witness a potential car theft, the better. Thieves are most afraid of getting caught, which is why keeping your vehicle in areas where there is a lot of foot traffic is advisable.
   
• Keep your car keys in a very safe spot. You never want to leave your keys lying around where they can fall into the wrong hands. Have a set place in your home for your keys, and a zippered pocket in your purse or workbag where you can keep your keys on the go so that you never have to worry about losing your keys and having them fall into the wrong hands.