The mere idea of your precious car getting stolen can give any car-owner nightmares. Yet, that didn’t stop car thieves from stealing more than 773,000 cars in 2017 alone. In this article, you will get to know How To Prevent Car Theft.
There are the obvious tips like “don’t forget to lock the doors!” However, if simply locking the doors of your vehicles properly before leaving would have stopped them from getting stolen, then you wouldn’t be here, reading this article. (buy ambient lamp) (Xanax) If you’re interested in how to prevent car theft, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep on reading to learn our top ways you can truly boobytrap your car, or even make the notion of stealing it way too much effort for thieves to even bother coming near your vehicle.
Prevent Car Theft 101: Get the Right Car Alarm
Alright, so you’re probably familiar with the basic car alarm, which tends to go off at the most inopportune moment, like 3 AM every couple of days in your neighborhood, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.
Obviously, you’ll want to avoid owning the top stolen car in the nation, but we’re talking about the things you can do once you already have a vehicle on hand.
The basic idea behind the car alarm is that it would activate the moment a thief successfully opens a door, breaks a window, or tries to start your car without turning your alarm off first. There are ones that need an access code to deactivate, and others you can simply turn off using a key fob remotely.
Regardless of the way the car alarm would operate, you need to take one. After all, the whole premise of an alarm is the loud siren that grabs everyone’s attention. So if your car has one, thieves tend to leave them alone, as they’ll want to avoid anything that brings attention to what they’re doing.
Don’t Leave Your Keys in the Vehicle
Whether you’re used to keeping your keys hanging in the ignition, or you tend to leave a spare key in or around your vehicle, you’ll want to stop that terrible habit as soon as possible.
Basically, by leaving your keys visible in your car, any thief can simply break a car window and drive off with your car. Besides, you’ll want to avoid leaving your car running, no matter how quickly you think you’ll be going to the store or finishing your grocery shopping.
Any running vehicle, even with the top car alarm model, becomes an easy mark if you leave it unlocked and unattended at the same time.
The same rule applies to your spare car keys. We know that it’s always easier to leave your spare keys under the car or in the glove box compartment, just in case you get locked out.
However, the majority of professional thieves know exactly the common spots that people leave their extra keys. Thus, you’ll want to risk getting locked out of your car, but that will be much more manageable than getting your car stolen.
Close Your Car Windows
Similar in theory to locking your car doors, you’ll want to keep your car windows completely closed.
Even in the summer months when it’s tempting to leave the windows a bit open so that it can “breathe,” this little space is more than enough for a thief to put your window down, unlock your car and get access to everything you’ve left behind.
Only Park in Well-Lit and Secure Areas
If you’re feeling like you’ll be leaving your car parked in a sketchy and poorly-lit area, you’ll want to get back into your car and park somewhere else.
You’ll want to pick a spot that’s well-lit and in a well-trafficked area. This way any car thieves in the area will hesitate before stealing your car if the probability of being seen is high.
Add a Steering Wheel Lock Bar
A steering wheel lock bar is this tool that slides over your wheel and locks it into place. This way if a thief manages to get into your car, they won’t be able to turn the wheel, because a portion of the bar will hit the car door.
This will prevent the wheel from turning. Traditionally, this bar will be made from hardened metal, which makes it difficult to cut. In addition to sliding inwards so you can make it more compact when you’re driving, you can also store it easily under your seat or in the trunk of your car.
It’s a visible deterrent that can work wonders in signaling that this will be a tough car to steal, and it won’t be worth the time and effort.
Integrate a Kill Switch
A kill switch can come in as a stand-alone gadget, or as a part of a more comprehensive alarm system.
Usually, when a thief is trying to start the car without a key, the kill switch activates by cutting the fuel’s supply to the car or even shutting the electrical system.
Either of those two actions will prevent the thief from moving the car anywhere. You can pick a kill switch that deactivates using an entry code or a plastic key, depending on your preferences.
Get a Car Tracking Device
By installing a GPS-operated tracking device, you get to both protect your car from getting stolen in the first place, as well as aiding in its recovery if the worst scenario happens.
You can shop around for the right service, as some offer in-car communication, which can be of great help in cases of auto accidents or having an emergency service dispatched to your location.
Furthermore, the main functionality of the tracking device can also include disabling your car remotely, if you inform your tracking service that your car has been stolen.
Protecting Your Assets and Your Sanity
In most cases, you’ll find people ignoring the possibility of car theft, similar to folks living in an area well-known for its hurricanes and deciding to willfully ignore getting flooding insurance.
It’s essential to start implementing those steps we’ve just given you on how to prevent car theft as soon as possible. And remember that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
