According to the American Crime Prevention Institute, the annual loss from auto theft in the United States is over $4 billion. The Automotive Information Council reports that over 1 million motor vehicles are stolen in the U.S. every year. That is about 1 motor vehicle theft every 31 seconds.
Here are a few tips to reduce the risk of an Auto Theft or a theft of belongings from a motor vehicle.
- Never leave your car unattended with the keys inside or in the ignition.
- Remove the keys from the vehicle and always lock the doors.
- Don’t invite a break-in by leaving things in plain sight in the vehicle. Remove them or secure them in the trunk.
- Keep windows shut whenever you park. A tiny gap can allow a thief to insert a wire and unlock a door.
- Never leave your vehicle running and unattended in order to allow it to warm up.
- If you use self-service to fuel your vehicle, don’t leave your keys in your vehicle when going in to pay. Lock it!
- When purchasing a car ask about anti-theft options such as:
- Alarms
- Locks for tape decks, batteries and gas tanks
- Steering column locks
- Switches that interrupt the fuel or electronic systems
