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Car Theft Tom T  |
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With vehicle theft on the rise I thought this information from the Pennsylvania State Police would be helpful.
Here are 20 precautions you can take that really work and are easy to do.
* Lock your car. Approximately 50% of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked.
* Take your keys. Nearly 13% of all vehicles stolen had the keys in them.
* Never hide a second set of keys in your car. Thieves know all the hiding places!
* Park in well-lit areas. Over half of all vehicle thefts occur at night.
* Park in attended lots. Auto thieves would prefer that you didn't. That's because they don't like witnesses.
* If you park in an attended lot, leave only the ignition and door key. If your trunk and glove box use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. Don't give the attendant easy access to your glove box and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare, and battery to ensure they are the same as those you had when you parked.
* Never leave your car running unattended. Not even if you'll only be gone for a minute. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm it up.
* Close car windows completely when parked. Don't make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
* Don't leave valuables in plain view. Why make your car a more desirable target to thieves?
* Park your vehicle with wheels turned toward the curb. Many car thieves use tow trucks to steal vehicles. Make your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots so the vehicle can only be towed from the front.
* If your vehicle is rear-wheel drive, back into your driveway. Rear wheels lock on four-wheel drive vehicles, making it difficult to tow. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked front end first.
* Always use your emergency brake when parked. In addition to ensuring safety, using the emergency brake makes your car harder to tow.
* If you have a garage, use it. Parking your vehicle inside protects it from thieves as well as from Mother Nature.
* When parked in a garage, lock the garage door as well as your vehicle. By locking both the garage and vehicle doors, you greatly improve the chances of deterring a thief.
* Never leave the registration or title in your car. A car thief will use these to sell your stolen car. File the title at your home or office, and carry your registration in your purse or wallet.
* Disable your vehicle when leaving it unattended for an extended period. Remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor, or otherwise disable your vehicle anytime thieves may have prolonged access to it.
* Replace T-shaped door locks with straight locks. Some vehicle doors have lock assemblies at window level that flares out in a knob or "T" shape. A thief can use various tools to gain access inside the vehicle in order to grab and pull the lock. Straight locks prevent this.
* Etch your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on car windows and major parts. This makes tracing your stolen car or parts easier. Do not use an engraving tool on glass windows.
* Engrave expensive accessories with a personal identification number. This makes it easier for police to identify your stolen car stereo, cellular phone, etc. and harder for thieves to dispose of them.
* Drop business cards, address labels or other identification inside vehicle doors. Car thieves usually alter vehicle identification numbers. By marking your vehicle as much as possible, you assist police in identifying your car.
"Auto thieves target the most popular vehicles because they can make the most money off their stolen parts," said Candysse Miller, regional director for the Western Insurance Information Service. Though popular vehicles vary by city, the top ten stolen vehicles nationally in 1998 were:
1. Honda Accord
2. Toyota Camry
3. Chevrolet full-size Pickup (C/K)
4. Jeep SUV (Cherokee/Grand Cherokee)
5. Honda Civic
6. Oldsmobile Cutlass
7. Ford full-size Pickup (F-Series)
8. Ford Mustang
9. Dodge Caravan
10. Toyota Corolla
A vehicle is stolen every 23 seconds in the United States. These automobiles are then stripped and used for parts, vandalized or destroyed. Almost one-third are never recovered. Don't be a statistic... prepare yourself.
'Til next time...Keep Rollin'
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 With over 27 years in the automotive industry and nearly a decade in automotive talk radio, Tom Torbjornsen makes learning about cars easy with his personal manner, his expert advice, and his high energy and entertaining style. Tom has the unique gift of simplifying the complex and tearing down the technical, meeting you at your level of understanding. You will be encouraged as you gain the confidence to deal with problems related to the second most expensive purchase you will make in a lifetime your automobile.
Email Tom
Click here to visit the America's Car Show website
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