If you live in the United States, the odds of your vehicle being stolen are 1 in 210, according to 2006 data from the federal government and the Insurance Information Institute (III). Not only that, but the III reports that more than 75,000 airbags are stolen every year. Urban areas are the worst for car theft statistics, and if you live in the West or South, your chances of becoming a car theft victim are double the chances in the Midwest, and four times as likely for those living in the Northeast. The first car theft in recorded history took place in 1898, so car thieves have had plenty of time to refine their techniques.
Although vehicle theft has been decreasing every year since 2006, only 59% of stolen vehicles were recovered last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Car theft is a major problem that can leave you without transportation while you deal with a time-consuming insurance claim. Here are some ways to reduce your chances of becoming a car thief's next victim.
* Secure your car. The best antitheft device is standard equipment on all vehicles: lock your vehicle every time you leave it, even for a minute. Also be sure to close your car windows and sunroof before you get out and lock. Never leave your car with the motor running, even in your own driveway. Car theft is an opportunistic crime, and the sight of an unattended car sending out exhaust with no one in sight is too tempting for thieves.
* Parking is an issue, both at home and away. At home, use your garage and lock it up, especially night. On-street parking can be a haven for thieves, especially in high-crime areas, so choose spots with good lighting and a good flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
* Don't give a car thief extra incentive. Take your purse, briefcase, or electronic gadgets with you instead of leaving them in the car. Instead of keeping your car's paperwork in the glovebox, carry it with you and make copies for other family members. Most of all, don't deal with your tendency to forget your keys by keeping an extra one attached to the vehicle somehow. Car thieves know all the best spots to find hidden keys, and if they find yours, they don't even have to break a window to steal your car.
* Consider buying a car alarm or other vehicle protection device to save yourself the time and expense of dealing with the theft of your vehicle.
An inexpensive anti-theft device consists of a heavy steel clamp that fits over your steering wheel to keep a car thief from steering it after stealing it. You carry the key to the device on your key ring. Although these devices can be jimmied by a determined crook, this takes extra time, and car thieves like to work quickly.
A car alarm is a highly effective way to chase thieves away from your car and alert law enforcement in the area. An alarm system is simply a sensing device attached to noisemakers like sirens and horns. Sophisticated alarm systems go beyond the basic door trigger switch found in low-end systems and use motion detectors, sound sensors that pick up the pitch of glass breaking, air pressure detectors that know when a car door is open, and even sensors that know when your vehicle is being driven up a ramp onto a thief's flatbed trailer.
Immobilizing devices, also known as kill switches, work by disabling vital components necessary to start your car, such as the fuel pump or the battery circuit. Radiofrequency identification devices (RFIDs) only allow your car to start if you use an ignition key that emits an electronic signal.
New tracking technologies have become standard equipment on high-end vehicles. Global positioning systems (GPS) can help law enforcement find your vehicle after a theft. Police can also track a vehicle using a tracking systems with a hidden transmitter to allow police to track the vehicle. An example of this type of system is the LoJack, which operates over half of the states in the U.S. Law enforcement likes these systems because they frequently lead to chop shops and other illegal theft operations and the arrest of criminals.
Certain vehicles are frequent targets for car thieves, especially high-end sport utility vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade and the Hummer were featured last year in an ABC News article on the most stolen cars in the U.S. Models among the least likely to be stolen are the Mercedes E Class, Buick Rainier and Subaru Forester. - 20605
Although vehicle theft has been decreasing every year since 2006, only 59% of stolen vehicles were recovered last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Car theft is a major problem that can leave you without transportation while you deal with a time-consuming insurance claim. Here are some ways to reduce your chances of becoming a car thief's next victim.
* Secure your car. The best antitheft device is standard equipment on all vehicles: lock your vehicle every time you leave it, even for a minute. Also be sure to close your car windows and sunroof before you get out and lock. Never leave your car with the motor running, even in your own driveway. Car theft is an opportunistic crime, and the sight of an unattended car sending out exhaust with no one in sight is too tempting for thieves.
* Parking is an issue, both at home and away. At home, use your garage and lock it up, especially night. On-street parking can be a haven for thieves, especially in high-crime areas, so choose spots with good lighting and a good flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
* Don't give a car thief extra incentive. Take your purse, briefcase, or electronic gadgets with you instead of leaving them in the car. Instead of keeping your car's paperwork in the glovebox, carry it with you and make copies for other family members. Most of all, don't deal with your tendency to forget your keys by keeping an extra one attached to the vehicle somehow. Car thieves know all the best spots to find hidden keys, and if they find yours, they don't even have to break a window to steal your car.
* Consider buying a car alarm or other vehicle protection device to save yourself the time and expense of dealing with the theft of your vehicle.
An inexpensive anti-theft device consists of a heavy steel clamp that fits over your steering wheel to keep a car thief from steering it after stealing it. You carry the key to the device on your key ring. Although these devices can be jimmied by a determined crook, this takes extra time, and car thieves like to work quickly.
A car alarm is a highly effective way to chase thieves away from your car and alert law enforcement in the area. An alarm system is simply a sensing device attached to noisemakers like sirens and horns. Sophisticated alarm systems go beyond the basic door trigger switch found in low-end systems and use motion detectors, sound sensors that pick up the pitch of glass breaking, air pressure detectors that know when a car door is open, and even sensors that know when your vehicle is being driven up a ramp onto a thief's flatbed trailer.
Immobilizing devices, also known as kill switches, work by disabling vital components necessary to start your car, such as the fuel pump or the battery circuit. Radiofrequency identification devices (RFIDs) only allow your car to start if you use an ignition key that emits an electronic signal.
New tracking technologies have become standard equipment on high-end vehicles. Global positioning systems (GPS) can help law enforcement find your vehicle after a theft. Police can also track a vehicle using a tracking systems with a hidden transmitter to allow police to track the vehicle. An example of this type of system is the LoJack, which operates over half of the states in the U.S. Law enforcement likes these systems because they frequently lead to chop shops and other illegal theft operations and the arrest of criminals.
Certain vehicles are frequent targets for car thieves, especially high-end sport utility vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade and the Hummer were featured last year in an ABC News article on the most stolen cars in the U.S. Models among the least likely to be stolen are the Mercedes E Class, Buick Rainier and Subaru Forester. - 20605
About the Author:
Catelin McGlothlin is a researcher and journalist specializing in residential and vehicle security. Learn more about car security at Car Alarm and Remote Start.
No comments:
Post a Comment